Tunable Lasers Handbook

1

Introduction

F.J. Duarte,     Eastman Kodak Company Rochester, New York

1. INTRODUCTION

Tunable sources of coherent radiation are suitable for a wide range of applications in science, technology, and industry. For instance, the first broadly tunable laser source, the dye laser, is used for a plethora of applications in many diverse fields [1] including physics [2–4], spectroscopy [5, 6], isotope separation [6–8], photochemistry [9], material diagnostics [9], remote sensing [9–11], and medicine [12]. In addition to issues of physics, it is this utilitarian aspect of tunable lasers that motivates much of the interest in the field.

In recent years, new sources of tunable coherent radiation have become available that have either extended spectral ...