Tunable mode-locked laser

Abstract

A tunable laser cavity for selectively emitting laser light having a first wavelength and a second wavelength using pump light emitted by a pump light source. The tunable laser cavity includes an optical resonator, the optical resonator having a configuration, optical properties and dimensions such that a first round-trip time of the laser light having the first wavelength in the optical resonator differs from a second round-trip time of the laser light having the second wavelength in the optical resonator; a gain medium inserted in the optical resonator, the gain medium being responsive to the pump light for converting the pump light to the laser light; a pump light input port optically coupled to the gain medium for receiving the pump light and conveying the pump light to the gain medium; an optical intensity modulator inserted in the optical resonator for absorbing a portion of the laser light as the laser light propagates back and forth in the optical resonator, the optical intensity modulator having a light absorption coefficient that is modulated with a modulation period, the modulation period being selectively adjustable between a first modulation period value and a second modulation period value, the first and second round-trip times being substantially equal to a respective integer multiple of respectively the first and second modulation period values; and an output port for releasing the laser light from the optical resonator.