Patent ID: 7733925
Filing Date: 2010-06-08
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
1. A laser source for generating a continuously wavelength tunable light, the laser source comprising: a gain media having a first facet, and a second facet, the second facet being substantially non-reflective; an optical output coupler which reflects at least of a portion of the light back to the gain medium; a cavity collimator spaced apart from the second facet, the cavity collimator having a collimator apex located on a collimator surface that faces away from the second facet; wherein light exiting the collimator is collimated and travels along an optical axis which is defined by the gain media and the collimator, and wherein light between the collimator apex and the optical output coupler travels an apex/coupler group optical length which is equal to the effective distance that a ray of light propagates during movement from the collimator apex to the optical output coupler; a diffraction grating that is spaced apart from the cavity collimator, the grating cooperating with the optical output coupler to form an external cavity, the grating having a grating face surface that is in a grating plane, the grating reflecting at least a portion of the incident light back to the cavity collimator and into the cavity; a grating beam that retains the grating; and a beam attacher that retains the grating beam, the beam attacher allowing the grating beam and the grating to effectively pivot about a pivot axis, the pivot axis being is located approximately in a pivot plane, the pivot plane being normal to the optical axis, the pivot plane being spaced apart from the collimator apex a distance along the optical axis that is equal to the apex/coupler group optical length.