LASER LIGHT SOURCE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME

摘要

A laser light source comprises a semiconductor laser adapted for pulsed operation, a partially transmitting wavelength selective light reflector. The semiconductor laser comprises a front facet and a back facet. The front facet and the back facet define an internal laser cavity. The internal laser cavity comprises a laser active medium. The partially transmitting wavelength selective light reflector has a peak reflectivity within a gain bandwidth of said laser active medium. The wavelength selective light reflector and the back facet define an external laser cavity. A roundtrip time of light in the external laser cavity is about 20 nanoseconds or less. A full width half maximum bandwidth of the wavelength selective light reflector is adapted to accommodate at least 12 longitudinal modes of the internal laser cavity and at least 250 longitudinal modes of the external laser cavity.