Methods, systems, and devices for timing control in electromagnetic radiation sources

摘要

In one embodiment, the invention relates to systems, methods and devices for improving the operation of an electromagnetic radiation source or component thereof. In one embodiment, the source is a laser source. A Fourier domain mode locked laser can be used in various embodiments. The sources described herein can be used in an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system such as a frequency domain OCT system. In one embodiment, laser coherence length is increased by compensating for dispersion. A frequency shifter can also be used in one embodiment to compensate for a tunable filter induced Doppler shift.

主权项

1. A method of compensating for a Doppler shift induced by a tunable filter in a laser comprising
determining a Doppler shift frequency induced by at least one element disposed inside the laser; sweeping a tunable filter such that a plurality of Doppler shifted wavelengths are generated in a laser cavity; applying an optical frequency shift that is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the Doppler shift frequency using an optical frequency shifter in optical communication with the tunable filter; and transmitting a plurality of Doppler shift compensated wavelengths outside of the laser cavity.