A distributed feedback laser, including: an output end including an active region including a grating including a λ/4 phase-shift region; and a non-output end including a reflecting region including a grating with uniform period. The length of the active region is smaller than or equal to 200 μm. The end facet of the output end of the laser is coated with an anti-reflection film.

Apparatus for and method of controlling a laser system capable of generating bursts of pulses of laser radiation having multiple alternate wavelengths in which an element controlling the wavelength is pre-positioned between bursts to be between its position for generating one wavelength and its position for generating another wavelength. Also disclosed is a system that determines an optimal control waveform for the element to move between positions using quadratic programming, dynamic programing, inversion feed forward control, or iterative learning control. A data storage device such as a pre-populated lookup table or a field programmable gate array may be used to store at least one optimal control parameter for each of a plurality of repetition rates.

Coupled-cavity vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) are provided by the present disclosure. The coupled-cavity VCSEL can comprise a VCSEL having a first mirror, a gain medium disposed above the first mirror, and a second mirror disposed above the gain medium, wherein a first cavity is formed by the first mirror and the second mirror. A second cavity is optically coupled to the VCSEL and configured to reflect light emitted from the VCSEL back into the first cavity of the VCSEL. In some embodiments, the second cavity can be an external cavity optically coupled to the VCSEL through a coupling component. In some embodiments, the second cavity can be integrated with the VCSEL to form a monolithic coupled-cavity VCSEL. A feedback circuit can control operation of the coupled-cavity VCSEL so the output comprises a target high frequency signal.

An optical kit includes a base including a main surface; and a holding unit provided on the main surface to hold an optical system. The holding unit includes a lens holding unit that holds a lens, a reflector holding unit that holds a corner reflector, a first aperture member holding unit that holds a first aperture member, a second aperture member holding unit that holds a second aperture member, and a third aperture member holding unit that holds a third aperture member. The reflector holding unit includes a first mechanism that holds an entirety of the corner reflector so as to be rotatable along the main surface, and a second mechanism configured to adjust an optical axis of a diffracted light in each of a reflective diffraction grating and a mirror.

Provided are a silicon-based tunable filter, laser and an optical module. The tunable laser comprises a semiconductor optical amplifier and a silicon photonic integrated chip, wherein a first coupler, a phase regulator and a tunable filter are provided on the silicon photonic integrated chip; the tunable filter comprises a flat-top band-pass filter structure, a Mach-Zehnder interferometry (MZI) structure and a micro ring resonation (MRR) structure, which are cascaded; gain light emitted by the semiconductor optical amplifier is coupled to the silicon photonic integrated chip by means of the first coupler, and a narrowband filtered optical signal is output by means of the tunable filter; and the phase of the gain light is regulated by means of the phase regulator so as to output single-peak narrowband laser light with a tunable target wavelength.

Discretely tunable laser systems include a continuously tunable laser for outputting a beam tunable among selectable frequencies, the selectable frequencies are separated in frequency by discrete frequency intervals, the discrete frequency intervals include a maximum interval and a minimum interval, where a difference between the maximum interval and the minimum interval is 100 MHz or less, and an external stabilization circuit coupled to the continuously tunable laser and a controller. The external stabilization circuit includes a first photodiode generating a first signal corresponding to a portion of the beam and an interferometer that produces resonances upon incidence of another portion of the beam. The resonances are equally spaced in frequency, with each defining one of the selectable frequencies. A second photodiode generates a second signal corresponding a transmission beam generated by the interferometer. The controller tunes the continuously tunable laser among the selectable frequencies based on the first and second signals.

The laser module includes a QCL element, a diffraction grating unit including a movable diffraction grating, a first lens that transmits light emitted from an end surface of the QCL element and light returning from the movable diffraction grating to the QCL element, a second lens that transmits terahertz waves emitted from the QCL element, a first holder, and a package. The first holder has a support surface on which the QCL element is mounted and a side surface connected to the support surface and facing the first lens in a resonance direction. A distance from an intersection point between the side surface and the support surface to the end surface along the resonance direction is smaller than a distance between the intersection point and the first lens along the resonance direction.

The laser module includes a QCL element, a diffraction grating unit including a movable diffraction grating, a first lens that transmits light emitted from an end surface of the QCL element and light returning from the movable diffraction grating to the QCL element, a second lens that transmits terahertz waves emitted from the QCL element, a first holder, and a package. The first holder has a support surface on which the QCL element is mounted and a side surface connected to the support surface and facing the first lens in a resonance direction. A distance from an intersection point between the side surface and the support surface to the end surface along the resonance direction is smaller than a distance between the intersection point and the first lens along the resonance direction.

A laser device (100), comprising: a source of electromagnetic radiation (S) that comprises at least one reflecting surface (RS), said source (S) being configured to generate a light beam that follows an optical path (OPa; OP) external to said source (S); a dispersive stage (6) located outside said source (S) along said optical path (OP) of said light beam generated by said source (S), said dispersive stage (6) comprising at least one axis of reflection that forms an angle (Θ; cp) with said optical path (OPa; OP) of said light beam and being configured to reflect: at least a first spectral portion of said light beam generated by said source (S) towards said source (S); and a second spectral portion of said light generated by the source (S) along said axis of reflection, wherein said at least one reflecting surface (RS) and said dispersive stage (6) form at least one variable-length external optical cavity (RS, L, 6); at least one collimating lens (C) located along said optical path (OPa; OP) and configured to collimate said light beam coming from said source (S); a collimator module (3), in which said source (S) and said at least one collimating lens (C) are mounted; and an actuator (24) configured to vary a length (L) of said a variable-length external optical cavity (RS, L, 6). In said device: said actuator (24) is mechanically coupled to said collimator module (3); and said actuator (24) is configured to vary the length (L) of said at least one external optical cavity of the variable-length gain medium (RS, L, 6) by moving said collimator (3).

A laser device (100), comprising: a source of electromagnetic radiation (S) that comprises at least one reflecting surface (RS), said source (S) being configured to generate a light beam that follows an optical path (OPa; OP) external to said source (S); a dispersive stage (6) located outside said source (S) along said optical path (OP) of said light beam generated by said source (S), said dispersive stage (6) comprising at least one axis of reflection that forms an angle (Θ; cp) with said optical path (OPa; OP) of said light beam and being configured to reflect: at least a first spectral portion of said light beam generated by said source (S) towards said source (S); and a second spectral portion of said light generated by the source (S) along said axis of reflection, wherein said at least one reflecting surface (RS) and said dispersive stage (6) form at least one variable-length external optical cavity (RS, L, 6); at least one collimating lens (C) located along said optical path (OPa; OP) and configured to collimate said light beam coming from said source (S); a collimator module (3), in which said source (S) and said at least one collimating lens (C) are mounted; and an actuator (24) configured to vary a length (L) of said a variable-length external optical cavity (RS, L, 6). In said device: said actuator (24) is mechanically coupled to said collimator module (3); and said actuator (24) is configured to vary the length (L) of said at least one external optical cavity of the variable-length gain medium (RS, L, 6) by moving said collimator (3).