Tunable laser with stabilized grating

US7075963B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Lambda Physik AG · DE

Inventors

• Dirk Basting · Fort Lauderdale, US
• Wolfgang Zschocke · Göttingen, DE
• Thomas Schroeder · Oettingen, DE
• Juergen Kleinschmidt · Oettingen, DE
• Matthias Kramer · Bottrop, DE
• Uwe Stamm · Göttingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 25, 2001
• Grant date: Jul 11, 2006
• Expiry date: Apr 7, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/1062
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A line-narrowing module for a laser includes a prism beam expander and a grating preferably attached to a heat sink. A pressure-controlled enclosure filled with an inert gas seals the grating and/or other elements of the line-narrowing module. The pressure in the enclosure is adjusted for tuning the wavelength. Preferably, the pressure is controlled by controlling the flow of an inert gas through the enclosure. A pump may be used, or an overpressure flow may be used. Alternatively, a prism of the beam expander or an etalon may be rotatable for tuning the wavelength.