High repetition rate optical pulse generator
US6625192B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 22, 2001 |
| Grant date | Sep 23, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 13, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S5/50
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical pulse generator, consisting of a semiconductor device and an optical output assembly. The semiconductor device includes an optically-active region having a gain section and a saturable absorber (SA) section, which are adapted to generate coherent optical pulses. The device also includes an output facet for coupling therethrough of the optical pulses generated in the optically-active region, and an SA electrode for application of a radio-frequency (RF) modulation of a desired frequency to the SA section.The optical output assembly is optically coupled to the output facet of the semiconductor device so as to partially reflect the coherent optical pulses within a predetermined wavelength range. The assembly is positioned so as to form, together with the semiconductor device, a laser cavity having a resonant wavelength within the predetermined wavelength range and having an optical length such that a period of the RF modulation substantially equals a round-trip time for one of the pulses in the cavity, whereby the coherent optical pulses are output through the optical output assembly at a repetition rate substantially equal to the RF modulation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.