Method and apparatus for stabilizing a broadband source

US6744793B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Richard E. Stoner · Framingham, US
• Jacques P. Govignon · Malden, US
• William P. Kelleher · Acton, US
• Stephen P. Smith · Acton, US
• Reinhardt L. Willig · Maynard, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 14, 2001
• Grant date: Jun 1, 2004
• Expiry date: Dec 14, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S5/0687
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and system for wavelength stabilization of a broadband optical source. The method and system are based on utilizing an optical power divider to generate two optical signals for each of the broadband source and a reference wavelength source. The difference in the power ratio of the two optical signals derived from the broadband source and the power ratio of the two optical signals derived from the reference wavelength source is determined. Because the power ratios are similarly affected by component aging and changes in environmental factors such as temperature and incident radiation, the difference in the power ratios can be used to adjust the wavelength of the broadband source so that its center wavelength is stabilized to the center wavelength of the reference source.