A compact and fast-response wavelength monitor is described that can determine the wavelength of individual laser pulses with a resolution of a few pm. It combines a position-sensitive photo detector with an optical coating that converts the wavelength information of the incident light into a spatial intensity distribution on the photo detector. Differential read-out of the photo detector is used to determine the centroid of this distribution. Wavelength change between individual laser pulses is detected as a shift of the centroid of the spatial light distribution on the detector. The wavelength monitor is demonstrated with results from a wavelength-tunable fiber laser that can produce randomly accessible sequences of laser pulses.

Date Published: 31 May 2013
PDF: 4 pages
Proc. SPIE 8720, Photonic Applications for Aerospace, Commercial, and Harsh Environments IV, 87200P (31 May 2013); doi: 10.1117/12.2017959

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8720:
Photonic Applications for Aerospace, Commercial, and Harsh Environments IV
Alex A. Kazemi; Bernard C. Kress; Simon Thibault, Editor(s)