Mode-locked laser using a mode-locking wavelength selective reflector

US7317739B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY · US

Inventors

• Stephen Y. Chou · Princeton, US
• Shufeng Bai · Foster City, US
• Allan Chang · Princeton, US
• Hua Tan · Princeton Junction, US
• Jian Jim Wang · Orefield, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 17, 2003
• Grant date: Jan 8, 2008
• Expiry date: Aug 30, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S5/141
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In accordance with the invention, a mode-locked laser comprises an optical gain medium disposed within an optical cavity formed by a first reflector and a wavelength selective second reflector to achieve mode-locking operation. Advantageously, the wavelength reflective reflector is a two-dimensional subwavelength resonant grating. The resulting laser is compact, tunable, reliable and inexpensive. It provides high side mode suppression and high output power.