Laser feedback interferometry and applications: a review

Abstract

The progress on laser feedback interferometry technology is reviewed. Laser feedback interferometry is a demonstration of interferometry technology applying a laser reflected from an external surface, which has features including simple structure, easy alignment, and high sensitivity. Theoretical analysis including the Lang-Kobayashi model and three-mirror model are conducted to explain the modulation of the laser output properties under the feedback effect. In particular, the effect of frequency and polarization shift feedback effects are analyzed and discussed. Various applications on various types of lasers are introduced. The application fields range from metrology, to physical quantities, to laser parameters and other applications. The typical applications of laser feedback technology in industrial and research fields are discussed. Laser feedback interferometry has great potential to be further exploited and applied.

Frequency-Shifted Optical Feedback Measurement Technologies Using a Solid-State Microchip Laser

“…King in 1963 [1]. It is a physical phenomenon where part of the output laser is reflected or scattered by the external object returning back into the laser resonator to modulate the laser output power, phase, polarization states, and so on [2][3][4][5][6]. Unlike the traditional laser interferometry, laser feedback interference occurs inside the laser resonator, thus making the system concise and auto aligned.…”

“…Due to the non-contact, excellent contrast, high-resolution, nonionizing, and noninvasive, optical imaging is currently emerging as a promising method in medical imaging [26] (pp. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] through the use of confocal microscopy [27][28][29], diffuse optical tomography [30,31], fluorescence spectroscopy [32,33], and optical coherence tomography [34][35][36]. For diffuse optical tomography, the penetration depth can be several centimeters into biological tissue, but recovering information from scattered photons is a challenge, and the spatial resolution is on the order of 20% of the imaging depth [26] (p. 249).…”

Усиление Автодинного Сигнала В Бистабильном Вертикально-Излучающем Лазере С Использованием Вибрационного Резонанса

“…Автодинная интерферометрия, или интерферометрия оптической обратной связи, -бесконтактный метод, основанный на регистрации флуктуаций выходных параметров лазера, индуцированных за счет самоинжекции в резонатор лазера рассеянной или отраженной от исследуемого объекта компоненты [1][2][3][4]. Этот метод показал высокую эффективность при измерении перемещений, скоростей, вибраций, направления движения объектов в различных областях науки техни-ки [1][2][3][4].…”

“…Этот метод показал высокую эффективность при измерении перемещений, скоростей, вибраций, направления движения объектов в различных областях науки техни-ки [1][2][3][4]. Подобный подход детектирования дает возможность создания на основе полупроводниковых лазеров измерительных датчиков, обла-дающих высокой чувствительностью к отраженному сигналу, невысокой стоимостью и компактностью.…”

Year in Review

“…2 Another top paper on flash lidar 3 was also part of this special section. Four additional top-downloaded papers were review papers on laser feedback interferometry, 4 head-mounted displays for air transportation, 5 terahertz photoconductive antenna technology, 6 and conformal displays. 7 The final three in the top-ten download list included special section papers on white light interferometric microscopy 8 and anisoplanatic imaging through turbulence, 9 along with a regular paper on laser-induced damage of camera sensors.…”