Discrete wavelength liquid crystal tuned external cavity diode laser

摘要

The invention comprises a liquid crystal Fabry-Perot interferometer tuned external cavity semiconductor laser. The laser oscillates single mode at a discrete set of wavelengths defined by the transmission of an intracavity static Fabry-Perot etalon. The liquid crystal Fabry-Perot interferometer has a free spectral range larger than the gain bandwidth of the laser amplifier so that it selects only one transmission wavelength. Its resolution bandwidth is much greater than the free spectral range of the external cavity. The static intracavity etalon's free spectral range is greater than the resolution bandwidth of the liquid crystal Fabry-Perot interferometer. The static etalon maintains a single mode oscillation by providing a filter narrow enough to select only one external cavity mode.