title: Tuning of a Ti3+:sapphire laser by an electro-optic beam deflection method.
abstract: A wavelength-switching method for tuning a self-injection-seeded Ti3+:sapphire laser that uses an electro-optic beam deflection technique is reported. A LiNbO3 prism was employed in a tuning arm of the dual-cavity Ti3+:sapphire laser, and wavelength tuning of approximately 94 pm was attained by altering the deflection angle with the application of an electric field of 10 kV/cm to the prism. The spectral characteristics of the output laser were mainly determined by the diffraction grating in the dual-cavity laser, and the electro-optic prism just behaved as a light-beam deflector for the wavelength tuning purpose. This configuration can allow a simple tuning approach where fast and stable electronic wavelength switching is required in a narrow tuning range, on an order between a few tens of picometers to nanometers, without involving any mechanical movement.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga Kouen, Kasuga 816-8580, Japan. vasa@ence.kyushu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Nilesh J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Vasa
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Michihiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uchiumi
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maeda