Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser tuning mechanism which embodies spectrally dependent spatial filtering (SDSF) and contemplates two key elements of the tuning mechanism. SOLUTION: The first element of the SDSF tuning mechanism is a spectrally dependent beam distortion (namely, alteration of the amplitude and/or phase profile of the beam) provided by an SDSF tuning element in a laser cavity. The second element of the SDSF tuning mechanism is an intracavity spatial filter which makes the round trip cavity loss a sensitive function of both beam distortion and cavity alignment. Such a laser can be aligned so that a specific beam distortion, which is provided by the SDSF tuning element at a tunable wavelength, is required to obtain minimum round trip cavity loss, thereby providing tunable laser emission. A preferred embodiment of the SDSF tuning mechanism is an external cavity semiconductor laser having a zeroth order acousto-optic tuning element. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve a performance of a laser by approximately matching spectral periods of a plurality of etalons existing in a laser cavity. SOLUTION: A discrete-tunable-external-cavity semiconductor laser having a fixed grid etalon 16 in the laser cavity 21 with a free spectral region (FSR) of the etalon 16 being the integer times of the FSR of the cavity 21 and with the integer times of the FSR of a chip parasitic etalon caused by the face 12-1, 12-2 of a semiconductor gain element 10 is provided. A fixed wavelength external cavity semiconductor laser having the FSR of the chip etalon being the integer times of that of the cavity 21 and the FSR of a mode suppressing etalon 16' which is inserted is the cavity 21 being the integer times of the FSR of the chip etalon. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To aquire a stable single mode operation of an external cavity semiconductor laser. SOLUTION: The stable single mode operation of the external cavity semiconductor laser with a laser controlling method for monitoring at least one optical beam generated by a reflection from a wavelength selecting factor in the laser cavity is acquired. In the method of this invention, a signal acquired by the reflection from the wavelength selecting factor in the laser cavity clearly specifies a mode hop generated immediately after to provide the stable single mode opration, which drastically decreases the number of mode hops. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device and a method which determine an absolute wavelength of an optical signal by the following process, a determination of a coarse wavelength response and a fine wavelength response is made, then, the absolute wavelength is obtained by combining the above two wavelength responses. SOLUTION: This device determines the wavelength of the optical signal from the coarse wavelength response and the fine wavelength response. The coarse wavelength response is obtained by an optical filter. An appropriate detector detects the response of a wavelength dependency and transmits it to a processing logic. The fine wavelength response is sensed by using an interferometer which can make an interference pattern. The two detectors are set transversely with a distance within the interference pattern and detect an intensity response at each position. The intensity response is transmitted to a unit which determines the fine wavelength response. Finally, the wavelength is determined in the processing logic by using the determined coarse wavelength response and fine wavelength response. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve an apparatus and method with which the adjustment of the relative phases of a pumping beam and second harmonic beam in multipass SHG. SOLUTION: The improved multipass second harmonic generation (SHG) is provided by using an inverting and self-imaging telescope. The embodiment ensures the parallel structure of all the passes of all beams within a nonlinear medium. According to another embodiment, the improved multipass SHG is provided by using a wedged phaser. The relative phases of a pump beam and second harmonic beam between the passes can be easily adjusted by such structure. Further, in another embodiment, the improved type mutlipass SHG is provided by using the inverting and self-imaging telescope in combination with the wedged phaser. The relative phases of the pump beam and the second harmonic beam between the passes can be adjusted by such structure and the parallel structure of all the paths of all beams can be assured within the nonlinear medium. The structure also allows the corresponding passes of the pump beam and the second harmonic beam to be made collinear within the nonlinear medium by design. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To acquire a stable single mode operation in an external cavity semiconductor laser. SOLUTION: A stable single mode operation of an outside cavity semiconductor laser is acquired by a method of controlling laser for monitoring at least one optical beam generated by reflection from wavelength selecting factors in the laser cavity. Since the signal acquired by the reflection from the wavelength selecting factors in the laser cavity clearly indicates the mode hop generated immediately, the stable single mode operation is provided and the number of the mode hop is sharply reduced. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve laser performance by bringing the spectral cycles of a plurality of etalons disposed in the laser cavity into practical coincidence. SOLUTION: This is to provide discrete tunable external cavity semiconductor laser that has grid fixed etalon within the laser cavity, wherein a free spectral region (FSR) of the grid fixed etalon is an integral multiple of the laser cavity's FSR, and is an integral multiple of the chip etalon's FSR. Further, there is provided fixed wavelength external cavity semiconductor laser in which the chip etalon's FSR is an integral multiple of the laser cavity's FSR, mode controlled etalon's FSR is inserted into the laser cavity, and the mode controlled etalon's FSR is an integral multiple of the chip etalon's FSR. Furthermore, there are provided tunable external cavity semiconductor laser in which the chip etalon's FSR is an integral multiple of the laser cavity's FSR, and fixed wavelength external cavity semiconductor laser in which the chip etalon's FSR is an integral multiple of the laser cavity's FSR. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
Improved gas leak detection from moving platforms is provided. Automatic horizontal spatial scale analysis can be performed in order to distinguish a leak from background levels of the measured gas. Source identification can be provided by using isotopic ratios and/or chemical tracers to distinguish gas leaks from other sources of the measured gas. Multi-point measurements combined with spatial analysis of the multi-point measurement results can provide leak source distance estimates. These methods can be practiced individually or in any combination.