The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 16, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 27, 1998
Stephen P. Sandford, Yorktown, VA (US);
Charles W. Antill, Jr., Newport News, VA (US);
Precision Light L.L.C., Roseland, NJ (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method of controlling the frequency of laser outputs are provided. The apparatus includes an optical resonator having an optical length that supports a plurality of resonant modes dependent thereon. The optical resonator includes a modulation device for modulating the optical length in response to a modulation signal. A first and second laser having a respective first and second optical output at a respective first and second laser frequencies are independently locked to different resonant modes of the optical resonator using known locking mechanisms to produce first and second laser outputs having narrow linewidths. A beatnote generator generates a beatnote signal representative of the difference between the first and second frequencies of the first and second laser outputs. A negative feedback system having a reference signal and the beatnote signal as inputs generates the modulation signal representative of a difference between the reference and beatnote signals. The modulation signal so produced acts to correct for changes in the optical length of the optical resonator by actuating the modulation device so as to maintain a fixed optical length and thereby stabilize and control the first and second optical outputs.