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:
Mar. 27, 2007
Filed:
Apr. 13, 2004
William R. Trutna, Jr., Atherton, CA (US);
Geraint Owen, Palo Alto, CA (US);
William R. Trutna, Jr., Atherton, CA (US);
Geraint Owen, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
Wavelength tunable light sources and methods of operating the same are described. In one aspect, a wavelength tunable light source includes a resonant light path, an optical gain medium, an optical grating, a first acousto-optic deflector, and a second acousto-optic deflector. In another aspect, a light source has a resonant light path containing first and second acousto-optic devices for tuning an output light beam over a specified frequency range with an output wavelength profile. The first acousto-optic device is driven with a first signal having a first time-varying frequency profile. The second acousto-optic device is driven with a second signal having a second time-varying frequency profile, wherein the second time-varying frequency profile differs from the first time-varying frequency profile by an amount substantially proportional to a time rate is of change of the output wavelength profile. In this way, the output light beam is tunable over the specified frequency range without observable hopping between longitudinal modes.