Patent ID: 6178001
Filing Date: 2001-01-23
Classification: G02F,H01S

Abstract:
A method for optical frequency modulation (FM) characterization of a laser source, the laser source being operable under modulation to produce an optical signal which is characterized by frequency variations representative of the modulation, the method comprising:modulating the laser source with a cyclical modulation signal to induce frequency variations in the optical signal representative of the cyclical modulation signal;using interferometry to convert the frequency variations induced into cyclical optical power variations to produce an intermediate optical signal;converting the intermediate optical signal to an electrical signal representative of the cyclical optical power variations in the intermediate optical signal; andcounting cycles of cyclical voltage variations in the electrical signal for determining the frequency variations induced in the optical signal so as to provide an optical FM characterization of the laser source as a function of the cyclical modulation signal.