Agile laser wavelength tuning using dynamic targeting

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel method using dynamic targeting for agile, fast, and continuous wavelength tuning in lasers, demonstrating over 2 GHz tuning experimentally and suggesting potential for even broader ranges and higher speeds.

Contribution

It adapts dynamic targeting from laser stabilization to achieve rapid, controllable wavelength tuning, offering a new approach for photonic applications.

Findings

Achieved 2.1 GHz tuning range experimentally

Simulations indicate potential for tens of GHz tuning

Scan speeds could exceed 10^17 Hz/s

Abstract

Tunable lasers are essential and versatile tools in photonics, with applications spanning telecommunications, spectroscopy, and sensing. Advancements have aimed to expand tuning ranges, suppress mode hopping, and enable photonic integration. In this work, we explore the adaptation of dynamic targeting, a technique originally developed to stabilize lasers under optical feedback, as a method for achieving agile, fast, and continuous wavelength tuning. By adjusting the feedback rate and phase, we enable a stable and controlled frequency shift. We experimentally demonstrate reliable and reproducible tuning over 2.1 GHz using a free-space optical setup. Simulations further suggest that this approach could extend the tuning range to tens of GHz, with a potential scan speed exceeding $10^{17}$ Hz/s. These results highlight dynamic targeting as a promising route toward agile frequency control in semiconductor lasers.