摘要 |
In a harmonically mode-locked laser, first (33) and second (34) optical beams are derived from the laser optical path which are directed, respectively, through first and second optical filters (37) having optical pass-bands (40, 41) that are displaced in frequency but which intersect at approximately the center frequency (fc) of operation of the laser. The free spectral range of a Fabry-Perot optical resonator (24) in the laser ring is deviated from a frequency exactly equal to the pulse repetition rate of the laser by a frequency (df) sufficient to permit changes in the length of the optical path to be manifested as changes in the wavelength of light transmitted along the optical path. Apparatus (39, 40, 42) for detecting the difference of intensity of light passing through the first and second filters can then be used to generate a signal proportional to the difference of intensity of such light for the purpose of adjusting, by length adjusting apparatus (43), the length of the optical path to compensate for spurious temperature-induced length variations.
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