Claims
- 1. A precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR pulsed laser, said laser comprising:a gain medium; a pump source, said pump source for providing light to said gain medium; a laser cavity resonator, said gain medium disposed in said laser cavity resonator and said pump source optically aligned with said laser cavity resonator; a rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said laser cavity resonator, wherein said wavelength-tunable filter is tunable by application of voltage across said wavelength-tunable filter; a multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said laser cavity resonator; and means for removing an output signal from said laser cavity resonator.
- 2. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR pulsed laser recited in claim 1, wherein said laser cavity resonator has a transmissive filter loop and at least a first arm; said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said transmissive filter loop; and said multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said first arm.
- 3. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR pulsed laser recited in claim 2, further comprising a second arm in said laser cavity resonator, and second arm coupled to said first arm and said transmissive filter loop.
- 4. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR pulsed laser recited in claim 3, further comprising a mirror disposed at an end of said second arm distal from said transmissive filter loop.
- 5. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 2, further comprising an optical coupling feedback device for combining optical feedback from said transmissive filter loop and said at least a first arm.
- 6. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 5, wherein said optical feedback coupling device is selected from the group consisting of: N-port optical circulators, fused fiber couplers, and waveguide-Y junctions.
- 7. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 5, further comprising a second arm in said laser cavity resonator, said second arm coupled to said first arm and said transmissive filter loop by said optical coupling feedback device.
- 8. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR pulsed laser recited in claim 1, wherein said multiwavelength grid filter is selected from the group consisting of Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs); FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings); SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings); SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings); Transmissive WBGs; phase-shifted FBGs (with single or multiple passbands); Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters; fiber FP filters and micro-optic; and micromachined FP filters; semiconductor FP filters; Micro-ring resonators; waveguide couplers; Interferometric-waveguide-based filters; Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters; Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters; Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters; fiber loop mirrors; and bulk-optic -based PI filters.
- 9. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR pulsed laser recited in claim 1, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter is selected from the group consisting of tunable Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs); tunable FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings); tunable SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings); tunable SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings); tunable Transmissive WBGs; phase-shifted tunable FBGs (with single or multiple passbands); tunable Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters; PZT-based fiber FP (FFP) filters; Liquid Crystal (LC)-based fiber FP (FFP) filters; Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)-based FP filters; electro-optic FP filters; current injection or optically tuned semiconductor FP filter; tunable Micro-ring resonators; tunable waveguide couplers; grating-assisted waveguide couplers and electro-optic waveguide couplers; tunable Interferometric-waveguide-based filters; tunable Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters; tunable Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters; tunable Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and tunable polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters; fiber loop mirrors with tunable electro-optic (EO) birefringent elements; fiber loop mirrors with tunable semiconductor birefringent elements; and tunable bulk-optic -based PI filters.
- 10. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR pulsed laser recited in claim 1, wherein said gain medium is selected from the group consisting of: doped fiber optic waveguides and semiconductor optical amplifiers.
- 11. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR pulsed laser recited in claim 1, further comprising means for tuning said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter.
- 12. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 11, wherein said means for tuning said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter is selected from the group consisting of: electro-optic tuning devices, strain-tuned tuning devices and electro-absorptive tuning devices.
- 13. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR pulsed laser recited in claim 1, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter has a tuning speed of less than 50 μs.
- 14. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR pulsed laser recited in claim 1, further comprising means for tuning said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter.
- 15. A precisely wavelength-tunable laser, said laser comprising:a gain medium; a pump source, said pump source for providing light to said gain medium; a laser cavity resonator, said gain medium disposed in said laser cavity resonator and said pump source optically aligned with said laser cavity resonator; a rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said laser cavity resonator, wherein said wavelength-tunable filter is tunable by application of voltage across said wavelength-tunable filter; a multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said laser cavity, wherein said multi-wavelength grid filter is selected from the group consisting of Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs); FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings); SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings); SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings); Transmissive WBGs; phase-shifted FBGs (with single or multiple passbands); Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters; fiber FP filters and micro-optic; and micromachined FP filters; semiconductor FP filters; Micro-ring resonators; waveguide couplers; Interferometric-waveguide-based filters; Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters; Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters; Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters; fiber loop mirrors; and bulk-optic-based PI filters; and means for removing an output signal from said laser cavity resonator.
- 16. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 15, wherein said laser cavity resonator has a transmissive filter loop and at least a first arm; said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said transmissive filter loop; and said multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said first arm.
- 17. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 16, further comprising a second arm in said laser cavity resonator, and second arm coupled to said first arm and said transmissive filter loop.
- 18. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 17, further comprising a mirror disposed at an end of said second arm distal from said transmissive filter loop.
- 19. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 16, further comprising an optical coupling feedback device for combining optical feedback from said transmissive filter loop and said at least a first arm.
- 20. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 19, wherein said optical coupling feedback device is selected from the group consisting of: N-port optical circulators, fiber fused couplers, and waveguide-Y junctions.
- 21. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 19, further comprising a second arm in said laser cavity resonator, said second arm coupled to said first arm and said transmissive filter loop by said optical coupling feedback device.
- 22. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 15, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter is selected from the group consisting of tunable Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs); tunable FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings); tunable SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings); tunable SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings); tunable Transmissive WBGs; phase-shifted tunable FBGs (with single or multiple passbands); tunable Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters; PZT-based fiber FP (FFP) filters; Liquid Crystal (LC)-based fiber FP (FFP) filters; Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)-based FP filters; electro-optic FP filters; current injection or optically tuned semiconductor FP filter; tunable Micro-ring resonators; tunable waveguide couplers; grating-assisted waveguide couplers and electro-optic waveguide couplers; tunable Interferometric-waveguide-based filters; tunable Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters; tunable Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters; tunable Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and tunable polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters; fiber loop mirrors with tunable electro-optic (EO) birefringent elements; fiber loop mirrors with tunable semiconductor birefringent elements; and tunable bulk-optic-based PI filters.
- 23. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 15, wherein said gain medium is selected from the group consisting of: doped fiber optic waveguides and semiconductor optical amplifiers.
- 24. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 15, further comprising means for tuning said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter.
- 25. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 24, wherein said means for tuning said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter is selected from the group consisting of: electro-optic tuning devices, strain-tuned tuning devices and electro-absorptive tuning devices.
- 26. The precisely wavelength-tunable narrow linewidth laser recited in claim 15, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter has a tuning speed of less than 50 μs.
- 27. A precisely wavelength-tunable laser, said laser comprising:a gain medium; a pump source, said pump source for providing light to said gain medium; a laser cavity resonator, said gain medium disposed in said laser cavity resonator and said pump source optically aligned with said laser cavity resonator; a rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said laser cavity resonator, wherein said wavelength-tunable filter is tunable by application of voltage across said wavelength-tunable filter; a multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said laser cavity resonator; and means for removing an output signal from said laser cavity resonator, wherein said laser cavity resonator has a gain loop and at least a first arm and a second arm attached to said gain loop; said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said first arm; and said multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said second arm.
- 28. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 27, wherein said multiwavelength grid filter is selected from the group consisting of Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs); FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings); SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings); SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings); Transmissive WBGs; phase-shifted FBGs (with single or multiple passbands); Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters; fiber FP filters and micro-optic; and micromachined FP filters; semiconductor FP filters; Micro-ring resonators; waveguide couplers; Interferometric-waveguide-based filters; Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters; Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters; Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters; fiber loop mirrors; and bulk-optic -based PI filters.
- 29. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 27, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter is selected from the group consisting of tunable Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs); tunable FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings); tunable SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings); tunable SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings); tunable Transmissive WBGs; phase-shifted tunable FBGs (with single or multiple passbands); tunable Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters; PZT-based fiber FP (FFP) filters; Liquid Crystal (LC)-based fiber FP (FFP) filters; Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)-based FP filters; electro-optic FP filters; current injection or optically tuned semiconductor FP filter; tunable Micro-ring resonators; tunable waveguide couplers; grating-assisted waveguide couplers and electro-optic waveguide couplers; tunable Interferometric-waveguide-based filters; tunable Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters; tunable Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters; tunable Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and tunable polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters; fiber loop mirrors with tunable electro-optic (EO) birefringent elements; fiber loop mirrors with tunable semiconductor birefringent elements; and tunable bulk-optic-based PI filters.
- 30. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 27, wherein said gain medium is selected from the group consisting of: doped fiber optic waveguides and semiconductor optical amplifiers.
- 31. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 27, further comprising means for tuning said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter.
- 32. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 31, wherein said means for tuning said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter is selected from the group consisting of: electro-optic tuning devices, strain-tuned tuning devices and electro-absorptive tuning devices.
- 33. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 27, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter has a tuning speed of less than 50 μs.
- 34. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 27, further comprising an optical coupling feedback device for combining optical feedback from said transmissive filter loop and said at least a first arm.
- 35. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 34, wherein said optical coupling feedback device is selected from the group consisting of: N-port optical circulators, fiber fused couplers, and waveguide-Y junctions.
- 36. A precisely wavelength-tunable laser, said laser comprising:a gain medium; a pump source, said pump source providing light to said gain medium; a first laser cavity resonator, said pump source optically aligned with said first laser cavity resonator; a second laser cavity resonator, said gain medium disposed in either said first laser cavity resonator or said second laser cavity resonator; an optical coupling feedback device for combining optical feedback from said first and second laser cavity resonators; a rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said first laser cavity resonator, wherein said wavelength-tunable filter is tunable by application of voltage across said wavelength-tunable filter; a multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said second laser cavity resonator; and means for removing an output signal from one of said laser cavity resonators.
- 37. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 36, wherein said multi-wavelength grid filter is selected from the group consisting of Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs); FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings); SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings); SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings); Transmissive WBGs; phase-shifted FBGs (with single or multiple passbands); Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters; fiber FP filters and micro-optic; and micromachined FP filters; semiconductor FP filters; Micro-ring resonators; waveguide couplers; Interferometric-waveguide-based filters; Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters; Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters; Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters; fiber loop mirrors; and bulk-optic-based PI filters.
- 38. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 36, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter is selected from the group consisting of tunable Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs); tunable FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings); tunable SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings); tunable SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings); tunable Transmissive WBGs; phase-shifted tunable FBGs (with single or multiple passbands); tunable Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters; PZT-based fiber FP (FFP) filters; Liquid Crystal (LC)-based fiber FP (FFP) filters; Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)-based FP filters; electro-optic FP filters; current injection or optically tuned semiconductor FP filter; tunable Micro-ring resonators; tunable waveguide couplers; grating-assisted waveguide couplers and electro-optic waveguide couplers; tunable Interferometric-waveguide-based filters; tunable Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters; tunable Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters; tunable Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and tunable polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters; fiber loop mirrors with tunable electro-optic (EO) birefringent elements; fiber loop mirrors with tunable semiconductor birefringent elements; and tunable bulk-optic-based PI filters.
- 39. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 36, wherein said gain medium is selected from the group consisting of: doped fiber optic waveguides and semiconductor optical amplifiers.
- 40. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 36, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter has a tuning speed of less than 50 μs.
- 41. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 36, wherein said optical feedback coupling device is selected from the group consisting of: N-port optical circulators, fused fiber couplers, and waveguide-Y junctions.
- 42. A precisely wavelength tunable laser, said laser comprising:a gain medium; a pump source, said pump source providing light to said gain medium; a laser cavity resonator, said gain medium disposed in said laser cavity resonator and said pump source optically aligned with said laser cavity resonator; a rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said laser cavity resonator, wherein said wavelength-tunable filter is tunable by application of voltage across said wavelength-tunable filter; a multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said laser cavity resonator; a coupling means; and means for removing an output signal from said laser cavity resonator; wherein said laser cavity resonator has a transmissive filter loop and at least a first arm; said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said transmissive filter loop; and said multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said first arm, said transmissive filter loop coupled by said coupling means to said first arm.
- 43. The precisely wavelength tunable laser recited in claim 42, wherein said multi-wavelength grid filter is selected from the group consisting of Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs); FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings); SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings); SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings); Transmissive WBGs; phase-shifted FBGs (with single or multiple passbands); Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters; fiber FP filters and micro-optic; and micromachined FP filters; semiconductor FP filters; Micro-ring resonators; waveguide couplers; Interferometric-waveguide-based filters; Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters; Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters; Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters; fiber loop mirrors; and bulk-optic-based PI filters.
- 44. The precisely wavelength tunable laser recited in claim 42, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter is selected from the group consisting of tunable Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs); tunable FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings); tunable SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings); tunable SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings); tunable Transmissive WBGs; phase-shifted tunable FBGs (with single or multiple passbands); tunable Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters; PZT-based fiber FP (FFP) filters; Liquid Crystal (LC)-based fiber FP (FFP) filters; Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)-based FP filters; electro-optic FP filters; current injection or optically tuned semiconductor FP filter; tunable Micro-ring resonators; tunable waveguide couplers; grating-assisted waveguide couplers and electro-optic waveguide couplers; tunable Interferometric-waveguide-based filters; tunable Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters; tunable Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters; tunable Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and tunable polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters; fiber loop mirrors with tunable electro-optic (EO) birefringent elements; fiber loop mirrors with tunable semiconductor birefringent elements; and tunable bulk-optic-based PI filters.
- 45. The precisely wavelength tunable laser recited in claim 42, wherein said gain medium is selected from the group consisting of: doped fiber optic waveguides and semiconductor optical amplifiers.
- 46. The precisely wavelength tunable laser recited in claim 42, further comprising means for tuning said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter.
- 47. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 42, further comprising a second arm in said laser cavity resonator, and second arm coupled to said first arm and said transmissive filter loop by said coupling means.
- 48. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 47, further comprising a mirror disposed at an end of said second arm distal from said transmissive filter loop.
- 49. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 42, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter has a tuning speed of less than 50 μs.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application makes reference to co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/110,056, entitled “Novel Wavelength-Modulatable and Continuously Tunable Narrow-Linewidth Fiber Lasers and Precisely Wavelength-Switchable Narrow-Linewidth Laser for Optical Telecommunications and Spectroscopic Applications,” filed Nov. 25, 1998, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/246,125, entitled “Tunable Bragg Gratings and Devices Employing the Same,” filed Feb. 8, 1999, the entire contents and disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
Entry |
Libatique et al, “Precisely and rapidly wavelemgth-switchable narrow-linewidth 1.5 m Laser source for wavelength division multiplexing applications”, IEEE Photonics Technology Nov. 1999.* |
Libatique et al., “Precisely and rapidly wavelength-switchable narrow-linewidth 1.5 μm laser source for wavelength division multiplexing applications,” IEEE Photonics Technology, Nov., 1999. |
Libatique et al., “Novel wavelength-modulatable and continuously tunable narrow-linewidth fiber lasers for trace gas spectroscopy,” presented at CLEO 1999 in Baltimore. |
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/110056 |
Nov 1998 |
US |