Measurement and Analysis of Modulation and Noise in the Output Frequency of Single-Frequency Semiconductor Diode Lasers

• Published in: Journal of applied spectroscopy Vol. 82; no. 4; pp. 659 - 664
• Main Authors: Kostromitin, A. O., Kudryashov, A. V., Liokumovich, L. B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-09-2015; Springer
• Subjects: Analysis; Analytical Chemistry; Atomic/Molecular Structure and Spectra; Electronic components; Fiber optic equipment; Frequency modulation; Measurement; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Semiconductor lasers; Sensors; laser frequency noise; single-frequency laser diode; fiber-optic interferometer; laser frequency modulation
• ISSN: 0021-9037; 1573-8647
• DOI: 10.1007/s10812-015-0159-z

Single-frequency laser diodes are examined as sources for fiber-optic interferometric measurements of physical quantities with fully optical, passive sensors. The key characteristics of the laser sources in this case are found to be the frequency noise spectrum and the frequency modulation coefficient of the laser output. Measurements of these characteristics for several single-frequency laser diodes manufactured by Thorlabs and QPhotonics are reported and the measurement techniques are described. These data can be used for designing fiber-optic interferometric sensors.