Extending the mode-hop-free tuning range of an external-cavity diode laser by synchronous tuning with mode matching

We present an effective method to extend the mode-hop-free (MHF) tuning range of an external-cavity diode laser (ECDL) by synchronous tuning of the longitudinal modes of the external cavity and the internal cavity, with the mode also matched in the initial state. Both the principle of synchronous tuning and the condition of mode matching in a Littman-configuration ECDL are introduced. The necessary tuning parameters could simply be estimated by the output power curve of the tuning with a single photodiode. By using this tuning method, we increased the MHF tuning range of an ECDL with a nonoptimized reflector pivot position from several gigahertzes to over 78 GHz around 774.5 nm. The tuning performance of the ECDL could meet the requirement of frequency scanned interferometry. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America