Frequency shifter in an optical path containing a pulsed laser source
The present invention relates to a frequency shifter in an optical path containing a pulsed laser source, and it is characterized in that it comprises at least one frequency shifter ( 12, 13 ) containing an optical propagation medium, the optical path length of which is modified according to the desired frequency shift during at least one pulse among n consecutive pulses from the laser, where n≧1.
1. A method for producing a frequency shift in an optical path containing a pulsed laser source, comprising the steps of:
introducing a periodic variation into the optical path length of a first frequency shift module during each nth laser beam pulse, including an optical propagation medium according to the desired frequency shift, where n≧1, by applying, to the first frequency shift module, a control voltage or a mechanical stress that varies linearly as a function of time over this nth pulse wherein at least one second frequency shift module is connected in parallel with the first frequency shift module, a switch being connected to the outputs of these modules and controlled in order to collect the optical output beam of the first or the at least one second frequency shift module.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pulses passing through the first frequency shift module are synchronous with pulses passing through the at least one second frequency shift module.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pulses passing through the first frequency shift module are not synchronous with pulses passing through the at least one second frequency shift module.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a law of variation applied to the pulses passing through the first frequency shift module is different from a law of variation applied to the at least one second frequency shift module.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a law of variation applied to the pulses passing through the first frequency shift module is the same as a law of variation applied the at least one second frequency shift module.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said optical path is connected to a Lidar receiver.