A method of controlling an external-cavity tuneable laser which has a
wavelength-elective tuneable mirror, in which wavelength selectivity is
achieved by an electrical signal provided by an alternating voltage. The
tuneable mirror has a liquid crystal material, a diffraction grating and
a planar waveguide optically interacting with the grating. The
diffraction grating and the waveguide form a resonant structure that
reflects only a selected resonance wavelength from among all the other
wavelengths impinging thereon. Depending on the amplitude of the voltage
applied to the tunable mirror, the tuneable mirror reflects radiation
only at a given wavelength. The lasing output wavelength of the laser is
selected to correspond to the resonance wavelength of the tuneable
mirror. Accurate selection of the emission wavelength (frequency) of the
tuneable laser by the tuneable mirror can be derived from the analysis of
the signal modulation induced by the AC voltage applied to the tuneable
mirror.