Frequency-switchable CO2 laser: design and performance
Abstract
The paper discusses the design and performance of a CO2 laser which contains a CdTe electrooptic modulator inside the laser cavity and allows the laser frequency to be rapidly switched or chirped from one output frequency to another frequency 1-20 MHz away in times as short as 50 nsec. The system is designed in such a way that the laser amplitude remains practically constant (less than 2% amplitude variation) during the frequency switch. The behavior of the laser is compared with theory, and a novel frequency locking scheme is presented which eliminates switching transients in the CO2 gain medium.
- Publication:
-
Applied Optics
- Pub Date:
- March 1982
- DOI:
- 10.1364/AO.21.000961
- Bibcode:
- 1982ApOpt..21..961S
- Keywords:
-
- Cadmium Tellurides;
- Carbon Dioxide Lasers;
- Electro-Optical Effect;
- Frequency Control;
- Laser Cavities;
- Light Modulation;
- Tunable Lasers;
- Chirp Signals;
- Design Analysis;
- Frequency Synchronization;
- Laser Mode Locking;
- Performance Prediction;
- Lasers and Masers;
- LASERS: CARBON DIOXIDE;
- MODULATION