A limited range source of electromagnetic radiation and a radiation method, includes a tunable source of electromagnetic radiation; and a control element configured to tune the wavelength of the source of electromagnetic radiation to a desired wavelength corresponding to an absorption line of an atom or a molecule or other species present in the medium through which the electromagnetic radiation is to propagate; wherein the control element is configured to receive data relating to the desired wavelength.

A laser source for use in a structured light projector includes a substrate, one or more first VCSELs on the substrate, and one or more second VCSELs on the substrate. The one or more first VCSELs each have a first aperture width and each separately extend above a surface of the substrate. The one or more second VCSELs each have a second aperture width different from the first aperture width, and each separately extend above a surface of the substrate. Using an array of VCSELs with different aperture widths provides emitted radiation having different wavelengths, thus providing different speckle patterns. When the different speckle patterns are averaged upon being received at the detector, speckle noise is reduced. The VCSEL can also include a plurality of subwavelength structures to steer the light output. Such subwavelength structures can also be used on the surface of other VCSELs, including standard VCSELs.

A tunable source includes a short-cavity laser optimized for performance and reliability in SSOCT imaging systems, spectroscopic detection systems, and other types of detection and sensing systems. The short cavity laser has a large free spectral range cavity, fast tuning response and single transverse, longitudinal and polarization mode operation, and includes embodiments for fast and wide tuning, and optimized spectral shaping. Disclosed are both electrical and optical pumping in a MEMS-VCSEL geometry with mirror and gain regions optimized for wide tuning, high output power, and a variety of preferred wavelength ranges; and a semiconductor optical amplifier, combined with the short-cavity laser to produce high-power, spectrally shaped operation. Several preferred imaging and detection systems make use of this tunable source for optimized operation are also disclosed.

A multi-wavelength light source has a laser region that includes a gain medium with a reflective end facet and two or more diffraction gratings optically connected to a second end facet opposite to the reflective end facet of the gain medium, an optical amplifier configured to amplify a laser beam emitted from the reflecting end facet of the laser region and containing multiple wavelengths, the multiple wavelengths being amplified collectively, an optical demultiplexer configured to demultiplex an amplified laser beam output from the optical amplifier, and output waveguides connected to the optical demultiplexer and configured to output light beams with the multiple wavelengths.

A technique for narrowing a linewidth of a plurality of lines of a coherent comb laser (CCL) concurrently comprises providing a mode-locked semiconductor coherent comb laser (CCL) adapted to output of at least 4 mode-locked lines; tapping a fraction of a power from the CCL from the laser cavity to form a tapped beam; propagating the tapped beam to an attenuator to produce an attenuated beam; and reinserting the attenuated beam into the laser cavity, where the reinserted beam has a power less than 10% of a power of the tapped beam. The reinsertion allows the CCL to be operated to output the mode-locked lines, each with a linewidth of less than 80% of the original linewidth. By propagating the tapped and attenuated beams on a solid waveguide, and ensuring that the secondary cavity is polarization maintaining, improved stability of the linewidth narrowing is ensured.

A technique for narrowing a linewidth of a plurality of lines of a coherent comb laser (CCL) concurrently comprises providing a mode-locked semiconductor coherent comb laser (CCL) adapted to output of at least 4 mode-locked lines; tapping a fraction of a power from the CCL from the laser cavity to form a tapped beam; propagating the tapped beam to an attenuator to produce an attenuated beam; and reinserting the attenuated beam into the laser cavity, where the reinserted beam has a power less than 10% of a power of the tapped beam. The reinsertion allows the CCL to be operated to output the mode-locked lines, each with a linewidth of less than 80% of the original linewidth. By propagating the tapped and attenuated beams on a solid waveguide, and ensuring that the secondary cavity is polarization maintaining, improved stability of the linewidth narrowing is ensured.

An example system for inspecting a surface includes a laser, an optical system, a gated camera, and a control system. The laser is configured to emit pulses of light, with respective wavelengths of the pulses of light varying over time. The optical system includes at least one optical element, and is configured to direct light emitted by the laser to points along a scan line one point at a time. The gated camera is configured to record a fluorescent response of the surface from light having each wavelength of a plurality of wavelengths at each point along the scan line. The control system is configured to control the gated camera such that an aperture of the gated camera is open during fluorescence of the surface but closed during exposure of the surface to light emitted by the laser.

A quantum dot comb laser includes a body defining a lasing cavity and an extension defining an external cavity, the FSR of the lasing cavity being an inverse of an integer multiple of the FSR of the external cavity.

In an embodiment a semiconductor laser includes a semiconductor body having a plurality of resonator regions, wherein the resonator regions are arranged side by side along a lateral direction, each resonator region having an active region configured to generate radiation, wherein the semiconductor body extends between two side faces, wherein the resonator regions are configured to emit laser radiation at one of the two side faces, and a layer sequence attached to at least one of the side faces, wherein the layer sequence forms at least part of a resonator mirror for at least one resonator region.

An optical transmission system includes a laser module generating a modulated optical waveform, including both amplitude and frequency modulation, at center frequencies corresponding to different operating temperatures; and an optical shaping filter, with passbands corresponding to the different center frequencies, that converts at least part of the frequency modulation to additional amplitude modulation. The optical transmission system is tuned by: determining a range of temperatures at which the laser module center frequencies are within a passband of the optical shaping filter; setting the laser module to a temperature, within the range of temperatures, at which the modulated optical waveform is within the passband; measuring an average output power of the optical shaping filter; and adjusting the temperature of the laser module to a target temperature, within the range of temperatures, at which an output condition is achieved, based on the average output power and/or extinction ratio of the filtered waveform.