| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for controlling a wavelength variable laser element and a wavelength variable laser device, capable of reducing power consumption.SOLUTION: A method for controlling a wavelength variable laser element comprises the steps of: selecting a semiconductor laser element to be driven from a plurality of semiconductor laser elements according to a wavelength of the laser beam to be output; adjusting the selected semiconductor laser element to a prescribed temperature corresponding to a wavelength of the laser beam to be output and outputting the laser beam by supplying the driving current of the current value corresponding to the prescribed temperature to the selected semiconductor laser element (driving step); and amplifying the output laser beam with a semiconductor optical amplifier. The intensity of the amplified laser beam has saturation characteristics dependent on a temperature with respect to the driving current of the selected semiconductor laser element. A prescribed current value in the driving step is lower than a current value in which the intensity of the amplified laser beam serves as a saturation light output intensity in the prescribed temperature. |
