A wavelength detector includes an optical structure receiving an input beam, the optical structure outputting at least three wavelength dependent two-beam interference signals. Each wavelength dependent two-beam interference signal has a different phase offset. A detector receives the at least three wavelength dependent two-beam interference signals and outputs an electrical signal representative of each wavelength dependent two-beam interference. A processor receives the at least three electric...

An F.sub.2 laser having an etalon-based line narrowing output coupler and a technique for tuning the laser. The etalon based output coupler is adjusted to preferentially reflect a percentage of light at or near the spectral maximum of one of the primary F.sub.2 spectral lines and to not reflect light at the other primary F.sub.2 spectral line. Thus, a selected range of the selected line is preferentially amplified in the gain medium and the other line is transmitted out of the laser cavity and, ...

A laser signal is monitored. The laser signal is forwarded to an etalon. Light transmitted through the etalon is detected. Light reflected from the etalon is detected. A ratio is calculated from the detected light transmitted through the etalon and the light reflected from the etalon.

A unique method and apparatus for locking on an absolute wavelength of laser light output by a laser package by actively compensating for a change in the temperature of an etalon optical filter is disclosed. Changes in etalon response characteristics due to temperature changes are compensated for by the addition (or subtraction) of an output voltage offset to the voltage control signal sent to the Thermo-Electric Cooler (TEC) from a controller within the laser package. The voltage offset is calc...

A tunable tandem Fabry-Perot etalon in used in optical systems as a filter between two amplifier stages. The etalon filters the signal going from the preamplifier to the amplifier and provides further filtering as the output of the amplifier also passes through the etalon.

A tunable tandem Fabry-Perot etalon in used in wavelength division multiplexed optical systems or in an optical device. One path is used to calibrate the pre-spectral range with respect to a reference wavelength and the other path is used to select and acquire the desired wavelength.

Methods for using a length dispersion of an etalon to approximate target resonant frequencies. Length dispersion usage in the present invention includes, for example, determining the impact of a length dispersion of an etalon on resonant frequencies of the etalon and may involve, for example, selection of one a more of a refractive index step, a number of layers, and a layer thickness of one or both dielectric stacks of the etalon in consideration of length dispersion. A featured method comprise...

Filter arrangements (400,500,600) are disclosed for tunable channel selection in optical wavelength division multiplexed systems. Each filter arrangement has an etalon device (e.g. 401-403) as a simple, compact, in-line component which is rotatably adapted for interposing between the ends of fiber optic cables for interconnecting the cables. An optical beam emanating from a free end of each cable end is focused and directed to the etalon device by a collimated lensed connector (e.g. 411). Identi...

The inventive method for forming monolithic nonlinear Fabry-Perot etalons comprises depositing on an appropriate substrate, e.g., a GaAs wafer, a first multilayer mirror, depositing on the first mirror a spacer typically comprising optically nonlinear material, and depositing a second multilayer mirror onto the spacer. Typically, at least one of the mirrors is an active mirror comprising optically nonlinear material. Deposition can be by a known process, e.g., by MBE or MOCVD. Since, inter alia,...

A thermally stable etalon Fabry-Perot etalon and method for making such etalons is disclosed. Particularly, a re-entrant etalon having an etalon gap which may be several times thicker than the etalon riser is presented. The riser and a spacer have differing dimensions and are constructed of materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion such that as the spacer expands increasing the etalon gap the riser expands a corresponding amount to keep the etalon gap in a thermally stable equ...