Mode-hop-free tuning over 80 GHz of an extended cavity diode laser without antireflection coating

We report 80 GHz of mode-hop-free tuning from an extended cavity diode laser (ECDL) without the need for antireflection coating on the diode facet. A large continuous tuning range was achieved by using a simple electronic circuit which simultaneously varies the diode laser current and external cavity length in an appropriate ratio. The ECDL employs a commercial, single mode AlGaAs diode laser, operating at 814 nm, in a Littrow external cavity configuration. The applicability of this technique to the most commonly available single-mode diode lasers without the requirement of antireflection coating, makes it an attractive approach for the attainment of mode-hop-free tuning over extended ranges. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.