Compact external-cavity diode laser with a novel transmission geometry

We report on the construction of a novel external-cavity diode laser based on a transmission diffraction grating in the Littrow-configuration. For this purpose, a low-loss transmission grating has been designed and manufactured. The transmission geometry removes the problem of directional variation of the output beam while tuning the wavelength without compromising the laser performance. The use of the transmission grating allows also an extremely compact mechanical design with a good passive frequency stability. The described laser has been designed to operate at the 633 nm wavelength, but the construction can be easily adapted to other wavelengths as well.

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