Patent ID: 7720116

Claim:
A tunable laser for providing a laser beam characterized by a wavelength, the tunable laser defining a laser cavity, the tunable laser comprising: a gain medium for generating the laser beam; a substantially planar waveguide for processing the laser beam, the waveguide having a substantially planar core and at least one cladding, the at least one cladding having liquid crystal material disposed therein; an optical path length control element disposed within said waveguide for controlling an effective optical path length of the laser cavity, wherein the optical path length control element includes an electrode for receiving a first voltage for controlling the effective optical path length of the laser cavity, the electrode positioned adjacent the cladding in the waveguide, wherein as the first voltage is applied to the electrode, the electrode induces an electric field on the liquid crystal material proximate the electrode to alter the effective optical path length of the laser cavity; and a wavelength selective element for controlling the wavelength of the laser beam.