Piezo-controlled intracavity wavelength selector for the far-infrared p-Gelaser

An electrically-controlled tunable intracavity frequency selector is demons trated for the far-infrared p-Ge laser. The tunable laser mirror was driven by a piezo-element inside a liquid helium bath. This design allows very sm all controllable displacements of the tunable mirror that were impossible i n previous mechanical systems. High-resolution spectroscopy of the laser ou tput reveals the nature of mode-hop tuning characteristic for the tuning-el ement construction used. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved .