title: Dual-frequency single-axis laser using a lead lanthanum zirconate tantalate (PLZT) birefringent etalon for millimeter wave generation: beyond the standard limit of tunability.
abstract: We demonstrate the generation of optically carried, broadly tunable, millimeter-wave signals with a dual-frequency single-axis Nd:YAG laser. A frequency difference as high as 127 GHz is reached thanks to an intracavity electro-optically tunable etalon made of lead zirconate tantalate (PLZT) ceramic. We show that the available frequency range is actually limited by the bandwidth of the amplification medium, namely, far beyond the usually accepted free spectral range value in the case of a single-axis laser. Both coarse discrete and fine continuous tunabilities are obtained with the same voltage-controlled device, opening the way to widely tunable low-phase-noise optically carried submillimeter or even terahertz sources.
authors.affiliation: Thales Research & Technology, France.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Le Gouët
authors.forename: Loïc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morvan
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alouini
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bourderionnet
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dolfi
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Huignard