Device for frequency modulation of a laser output spectrum

Patent · Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:865953

Beene, James R ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge, TN

A device is provided for fast frequency modulating the output spectrum of multimode lasers and single frequency lasers that are not actively stabilized. A piezoelectric transducer attached to a laser cavity mirror is driven in an unconventional manner to excite resonance vibration of the transducer to rapidly, cyclicly change the laser cavity length. The result is a cyclic sweeping of the output wavelength sufficient to fill the gaps in the laser output frequency spectrum. When such a laser is used to excite atoms or molecules, complete absorption line coverage is made possible.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4606031
• OSTI ID: 865953
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/372/
absorption
absorption line
actively
atoms
attached
cavity
cavity length
cavity mirror
change
complete
conventional manner
coverage
cyclic
cyclicly
device
driven
excite
fast
fill
frequency
frequency laser
frequency lasers
frequency modulating
frequency modulation
frequency spectrum
gaps
laser
laser cavity
laser output
lasers
length
line
manner
mirror
mode laser
modulating
modulation
molecules
multimode
output
output frequency
output spectrum
output wave
output wavelength
piezoelectric
piezoelectric transducer
provided
rapidly
resonance
result
single
single frequency
spectrum
stabilized
sufficient
sweeping
transducer
unconventional
vibration
wavelength