Low noise planar external cavity laser for interferometric fiber optic sensors

Alalusi, Mazin; Brasil, Paul; Lee, Sanggeon; Mols, P.P.G.; Stolpner, Lew; Mehnert, Axel; Li, Steve

doi:10.1117/12.828849

Cited by 29 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Therefore, with a free running laser, the line width is determined by the low frequency content only, unless the stability period of interest is < 1/β. As illustrated in several papers 29,30 , the PSD is also dependent upon the bias current used during testing, with decreasing frequency noise as the current is increased. For most of the space missions with very demanding requirements, it is the residual frequency noise at the very low frequency end of the spectrum which dominates system performance.…”

Section: Laser Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Frequency stabilized lasers for space applications

Lieber¹,

Adkins²,

Pierce³

et al. 2014

SPIE Proceedings

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Frequency stabilized narrow line-width lasers have a broad range of applications including precision metrology, spectroscopy, atomic clocks and geodesy. This technology will be a key enabler to several proposed NASA science missions. Although lasers such as Q-switched Nd-YAG are now commonly used in space, other types of lasers -especially those with narrow linewidth -are still few in number and more development is required to advance their technology readiness.In this paper we discuss a reconfigurable laser frequency stabilization testbed, and end-to-end modeling to support system development. Two important features enabling testbed flexibility are that the controller, signal processing and interfaces are hosted on a field programmable gate array (FPGA) which has spacequalified equivalent parts, and secondly, fiber optic relay of the beam paths. Given the nonlinear behavior of lasers, FPGA implementation is a key system reliability aspect allowing on-orbit retuning of the control system and initial frequency acquisition. The testbed features a dual sensor system, one based upon a high finesse resonator cavity which provides relative stability through Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) modulation and secondly an absolute frequency reference by dither locking to an acetylene gas cell (GC). To provide for differences between ground and space implementation, we have developed an end-to-end Simulink/ Matlab ® -based control system model of the testbed components including the important noise sources. This model is in the process of being correlated to the testbed data which then can be used for trade studies, and estimation of space-based performance and sensitivities. A 1530 nm wavelength semiconductor laser is used for this initial work.

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Section: Laser Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Frequency stabilized lasers for space applications

Lieber¹,

Adkins²,

Pierce³

et al. 2014

SPIE Proceedings

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“…A strong contender is the very narrow linewidth external cavity laser diode. [40] We recently compared the phase noise characteristics to the NPRO. [41] …”

Section: Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiments Follow-on (Grace-fo)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Spaceflight laser development for future remote sensing applications

Krainak

Stephen

et al. 2011

SPIE Proceedings

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At NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center we are developing next generation laser transmitters for future spaceflight, remote instruments including a micropulse altimeter for ice-sheet and sea ice monitoring, laser spectroscopic measurements of atmospheric CO 2 and an imaging lidar for high resolution mapping of the Earth's surface. These laser transmitters also have applicability to potential missions to other solar-system bodies for trace gas measurements and surface mapping. In this paper we review NASA spaceflight laser transmitters used to acquire measurements in orbit around Mars, Mercury, Earth and the Moon. We then present an overview of our current spaceflight laser programs and describe their intended uses for remote sensing science and exploration applications.

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“…Compared to conventional ECDLs, further advantages include robustness, desirable polarization properties and low noise. Planar gratings have been previously employed, for example, commercial devices offer high stability operation using Bragg grating stabilization [12]. We have reported a similar device in a planar waveguide using a related UV written Bragg grating [8,13], however to date such devices have not been demonstrated experimentally for gas sensing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spectroscopic gas detection using a Bragg grating - stabilized external cavity laser, custom written in planar integrated silica-on-silicon

Davis¹,

Lynch²,

Gates³

et al. 2019

Opt. Express

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We present the development of an external cavity Bragg grating stabilized laser for tunable diode laser spectroscopy (TDLS). Our design uses a planar integrated silica-on-silicon platform incorporating a custom written Bragg grating as the wavelength-selective element of the laser cavity. We have developed a prototype singlemode laser at 1651 nm and performed a detailed characterization of its performance for the purpose of spectroscopic measurement of methane at this wavelength using a 25 cm path-length single-pass cell. Mode hop-free tuning of 0.13 nm has been demonstrated at frequencies of up to 10 kHz. A single-point limit of detection for TDLS of ∆I/I 0 = 8.3 × 10 −5 AU was achieved, which is consistent with the performance of standard distributed feedback lasers. The new device exhibits a side-mode suppression ratio of −40 dB and a low RIN of <−150 dB/Hz, and thus avoids the high levels of noise or instability normally associated with larger, mechanically driven external cavity lasers. The silica-on-silicon platform has the potential for low-volume manufacturing of special lasers at the custom wavelengths required for gas detection, without the need for investment in foundry solutions.

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Low noise planar external cavity laser for interferometric fiber optic sensors

Cited by 29 publications

References 11 publications

Frequency stabilized lasers for space applications

Frequency stabilized lasers for space applications

Spaceflight laser development for future remote sensing applications

Spectroscopic gas detection using a Bragg grating - stabilized external cavity laser, custom written in planar integrated silica-on-silicon

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