Design and experimental research of a high-precision wavelength controller for tunable fiber Fabry-Perot filters

Abstract

A high-precision wavelength controller is presented in this paper. It is necessary to find out the difference between the central wavelength of a tunable fiber Fabry-Perot (FFP) filter and that of the input laser, while the wavelength controller operates at the states of wavelength-scanning and wavelength-locking modes. Firstly, a dynamic simulation model of tunable FFP filter is established, and the dynamic characteristic of tunable FFP filter modulated by an alternating current (AC) signal is simulated. Then the measuring time at wavelength-scanning mode compared with the theory time is discussed, and this time difference shows the difference between the central wavelength of a tunable FFP filter and that of the input laser. At last, the effects on wavelength-locking precision of time delays, including the time delay of opened-loop circuit, the time constant of the closed-loop circuit and the intrinsic hysteresis of piezoelectric (PZT) element, are analyzed. A wavelength controller of tunable FFP filter is designed and prepared. The experimental results at wavelength-locking mode show that a high locking precision is obtained.

Keywords

Central Wavelength / Free Spectral Range / Optical Output / Input Laser / Dynamic Simulation Model

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