Low-frequency intensity noise in semiconductor lasers

The observed 1/f noise in the light-output power S _p of four different types of heterostructure lasers is explained in terms of spatially uncorrelated gain fluctuations and spontaneous emission fluctuations. Two possible noise sources are suggested: fluctuations in the absorption coefficient and fluctuations in the number of free carriers. Both models are in agreement with the experimental results obtained from index-guided and gain-guided diodes at wavelengths of 1.3 and 0.8 μm. The dependence S_p ∝P^m has been observed with P the average light-output power and m=3/2 under spontaneous emission, a small transition region with m=5/2, m=4 in the superradiation region, and 0⩽m⩽1 in the laser region     

Low-frequency relative intensity noise in self-pulsatingridge-waveguide quantum-well lasers

Self-pulsating diode lasers are used in optical systems in which optical coherence is undesirable. The relative intensity noise behavior of self-pulsating lasers at frequencies below the self-pulsating frequency is investigated both theoretically and experimentally, and is compared to the relative intensity noise behavior of conventional non-self-pulsating lasers. It is shown that the predictions of the relative intensity noise of self-pulsating lasers can be made based on a simple conjecture for a dynamically unstable system and yield good empirical agreement with experimental results     

Stability analysis for a semiconductor laser in an external cavity

A detailed theoretical analysis of stability is presented for a semiconductor laser in an external cavity. The limits of stable operation are determined as a function of the external cavity parameters and the linewidth enhancement factor α. Instability is related to jumps of the laser frequency between external cavity modes (frequency bistability) or to feedback-induced intensity pulsations due to the carrier density dependence of the refractive index. The limit of bistability is derived from the steady-state solutions of the rate equations and the intensity pulsation limit is obtained from a small-signal analysis. This analysis also gives the location of zeros in the system determinant and the resulting FM noise spectrum. For practical applications we emphasize the determination of the stable tuning range for the phase in the external cavity and the classification of the possible types of instability for various feedback levels.     

Intensity noise suppression and modulation characteristics of a laser diode coupled to an external cavity

Static and dynamic properties of a GaAlAs laser diode with an external cavity (1.5-50 cm) have been studied experimentally, it is found that the optical feedback induced intensity noise is strikingly suppressed by 30 dB when a single frequency oscillation is realized with good phase matching. The threshold of modulation depth, over which intensity noise increases abruptly, has been measured as a function of the modulation frequency in a range of 10-400 MHz. It has the maximum at about 40-70 MHz and increases with the decrease of the external cavity length. On the basis of the compound cavity model the phase and gain conditions for the single frequency oscillation are discussed and the threshold modulation depth is calculated, which is shown to be in good agreement with the experimental results.     

A linearized theory for the diode laser in an external cavity

A simple model for a semiconductor diode laser in an external cavity is developed. The stability and small-signal modulation characteristics of the new model is investigated and compared with experiment.     

The mechanism of mode selection for an external cavity laser

The process of mode hopping between external cavity modes of a laser diode with optical feedback is described by analogy with noise driven transitions of a particle between potential valleys. The model explains why the dominant mode is the mode with the lowest linewidth and not the mode with the lowest carrier density. It also gives a simple analytic expression for the rate of mode hopping. The expression is shown to predict the results of computer simulations to a good approximation     

Line broadening and intensity noise due to polarization switchingin external cavity diode lasers

The authors report on polarization switching as a new source of linewidth broadening and intensity noise in external grating diode laser setups that emit in a sequence of alternating wavelength intervals having TE and TM polarization, respectively. At the borders between two consecutive intervals, the continuous random hopping of the system between the two polarizations results in line broadening and in RIN values of -100 dB/Hz at frequencies below 100 MHz. In the middle part of each wavelength interval, linewidth of less than 300 kHz and low noise (<-145 dB/Hz) have been measured     

外腔半导体激光器的线宽

本文用量子力学的方法求得了外腔半导体激光器(LD)的线宽,给出了抑制LD线宽的最佳反馈条件。     

二种单频外腔式He－Ne激光器的自稳频原理再分析

作者用高气压加纵向非均匀磁场获得了二种单频、自稳频高输出功率的外腔式Ｈｅ－Ｎｅ激光器，１ｍ激光器的频率非稳定度为６．１７５×１０￣（－９）（τ≤１０ｓ）和３．３８×１０￣（－９）（τ≤１ｓ）；１．８ｍ激光器的频率非稳定度为１．１×１０￣（－８）（τ≤１ｓ）和２×１０￣（－８）（τ≤１０ｓ），所有数据由中国计量科学院测定。本文是继文献［１］，［８］，［９］和［１０］发表后，对这两种激光器的自稳频原理的再分析。     

二种单频外腔式He-Ne激光器的自稳频原理再分析

作者用高气压加纵向非均匀磁场获得了二种单频、自稳频高输出功率的外腔式He-Ne激光器,1m激光器的频率非稳定度为6.175×10-9(τ≤10s)和3.38×10-9(τ≤1s);1.8m激光器的频率非稳定度为1.1×10-8(τ≤1s)和2×10-8(τ≤10s),所有数据由中国计量科学院测定。本文是继文献[1],[8],[9]和[10]发表后,对这两种激光器的自稳频原理的再分析。     

Single-mode operation from an external cavity controlledvertical-cavity surface-emitting laser

Single-mode operation from an index-guided vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) has been achieved by using a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) as an external selective wavelength reflector. The spectral characteristics of the external cavity controlled VCSEL under static and dynamic conditions have been studied. The FBG provided stable single mode operation under pseudorandom modulation with a sidemode suppression ratio of ~30 dB from 500 Mb/s up to 4 Gb/s at room temperature     

Effect of external cavity semiconductor laser phase noise on a DPSKheterodyne optical receiver

The effect of an external cavity semiconductor laser on the performance of a DPSK heterodyne optical system is evaluated. The actual shape of the frequency fluctuation spectral density of the optical source is taken into account, and a comparison with a PSK coherent heterodyne system is carried out     

Frequency and intensity modulation characteristics of GaAs lasersin an external cavity

Frequency and intensity modulation characteristics were measured for external cavity GaAs diode lasers as a function of modulation frequency. The data, displayed as a chirp-to-power ratio (CPR), showed at low modulation frequencies a flat response and a 0° or 180° relative phase, depending on laser structure. A model incorporating a carrier-density-dependent imaginary part of the differential gain (Henry alpha factor) is developed to explain the data. The model yields simple scaling of the CPR with injection current and photon lifetime. The agreement between the model and data including scaling is excellent. These results provide strong evidence for transverse spatial hole burning in these lasers     

Frequency stabilization of an external cavity laser diode usingelectrooptic effect

An external cavity laser diode, which consists of a LiNbO₃ phase modulator, was frequency-stabilized to a resonance frequency of a Fabry-Perot interferometer using the electrooptic effect. The optical frequency fluctuation was detected through a Fabry-Perot interferometer and the detected signal was negatively fed back to the phase modulator to reduce the frequency fluctuation. The rear facet of the electrooptic phase modulator was coated with gold and used as an external mirror. At feedback-off state, the peak-to-peak frequency fluctuation of the laser diode was 52 MHz in 2 min. At feedback-on state, the peak-to-peak frequency fluctuation was reduced to 1.5 MHz. This condition was maintained for the duration of the observation, 1 h and 40 min     

Compact external cavity diode laser for quantum experiments

We present a compact and practical scheme of building a ~780 nm external cavity diode laser (ECDL) whose wavelength is mainly determined by an interference filter. The Lorentzian linewidth measured by the heterodyne beating between two identical lasers is 60 kHz, and the geometry size of the laser is only 71.5 mm×65 mm×40 mm. The linear cavity design is less sensitive to misalignment induced by mechanical and thermal disturbances, and in comparison to a common grating-based design, the sensitivity to vibration is substantially reduced. Due to its excellent performance, the laser design has already been applied to cold atom trapping experiments. This interference filter ECDL method can also be extended to other wavelengths and widen the application range of diode laser.     

半导体激光器列阵外腔锁相中准直透镜的位置选择

利用傅立叶分解 ,平面波传播的角谱理论和光线追迹的方法讨论了在DLA外腔锁相中准直透镜的位置对系统的影响。通过计算分析找到了一个恰当的位置 ,在使系统实现尽可能大的能量耦合效率的同时降低了系统对各个元件失调的敏感程度。     

半导体激光器的低频电噪声谱密度和器件的可靠性

本文给出了半导体激光器的低频电噪声谱密度和器件可靠性关系的实验结果。     

894nm外腔半导体激光器

介绍了一种基于Littrow结构的894 nm外腔半导体激光器的设计原理,给出了光栅转轴的优化点计算,分析了无跳模范围和实际转轴位置的关系,指出了实际光栅转轴点的合理位置.针对铯原子激光抽运磁力仪的应用要求,通过外腔的选频功能,以及低噪声激光电流源、低温漂温控器和低噪声压电陶瓷驱动器,实现了自由运转波长为904 nm的...     

Narrowband external cavity laser diode arra

A laser diode array line narrowing using an external cavity with a holographic grating is demonstrated. A linewidth of 11 GHz is obtained at an operating wavelength of 852 nm with an output power of about 10 W. Narrow linewidth high-power diode arrays can be used to pump alkali lasers and to produce spin polarised noble gases     

双波长可调外腔半导体激光器

提出了一种基于体布拉格光栅（VBG）和横向啁啾体布拉格光栅（TCVBG）组合的双光栅外腔半导体激光器,该外腔半导体激光器采用反射率15%的体光栅和反射率17%的啁啾体布拉格光栅作为反馈元件和模式选择元件,实现特定波长的选择和调谐,实验研究了外腔激光器的功率-电流特性、光谱特性和波长调谐特性。实验结果表明:双光栅外腔半导体激光器最大输出功率为1.96 W,斜率效率为0.94 W/A,外腔效率达到78%。输出光谱为双波长,一个波长为808.6 nm,另一个波长连续可调,通过改变横向啁啾体光栅的位置,该波长可从800 nm调谐至815 nm,可调范围达15 nm,在整个可调范围内两个波长的谱线宽度（FWHM）均小于0.3 nm。