Time Domain Discrete Fourier Domain Mode Locked Laser with k-Space Uniform Comb Lines

Dongmei Huang, Feng Li*, Zihao Cheng, Xinhuan Feng, Alex WAI

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Frequency comb swept lasers or wavelength stepped swept lasers with comb filters have been proposed in optical domain subsampling or circular-ranging optical coherence tomography (OCT) to achieve high axial scan rate and extended imaging range with a given acquisition bandwidth. However, the comb filters lack flexibility in varying the free spectral range (FSR). In this article, we propose and demonstrate a novel discrete Fourier domain mode locked (FDML) laser by using intracavity optical intensity modulation. Swept signals with comb lines uniformly distributed in the frequency domain is generated with tailor-made pulse patterns according to the sweep trace of the swept filter. Discrete k-space uniform swept signals with different FSRs and pulse durations are generated in the same laser. The FDML laser discretized by temporal modulation is more stable than that with a comb filter. The discrete FDML lasers will be potential sources of OCT and the fast-developing swept source LiDAR.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2949-2955
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Lightwave Technology
Volume39
Issue number9
Early online date25 Jan 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 May 2021

Scopus Subject Areas

  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

User-Defined Keywords

  • Fourier domain mode locked laser
  • optical coherence tomography
  • time domain modulation

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