Patent ID: 8670474
Filing Date: 2014-03-11
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
1. A method for reducing intensity noise of a laser apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a wavelength-stabilized tapered diode laser providing radiation in a first wavelength interval, the diode laser comprising two separate contacts for controlling injection currents to different sections of the diode laser independently; a radiation conversion unit having an input and an output, the radiation conversion unit being configured to receive the radiation in the first wavelength interval from the diode laser at the input and to convert the radiation in the first wavelength interval to radiation in a second wavelength interval, and the output being configured to output the converted radiation, the second wavelength interval having one end point outside the first wavelength interval, wherein the method comprises actively controlling an injection current to the diode laser so as to reduce the intensity noise properties of the diode laser by performing the following steps: determining intensity noise in the emitted radiation, comparing the determined noise to a threshold value, if the determined noise is above the threshold value, adjusting the injection current supplied to a first one of the contacts until the noise is below the threshold value, if the determined noise is above the threshold value and the injection current supplied to the first contact is at a lowest current threshold level, adjusting the injection current supplied to the second contact.