Electrical mode-hopping noise in external-cavity semiconductor lasers and mode-hopping elimination by a nonoptical control loop

Journal Article · Mon Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1987 · IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/JQE.1987.1073274· OSTI ID:5521176

Andrekson, P A; Alping, A

The longitudinal mode-hopping and the associated terminal electrical noise in AlGaAs buried heterostructure lasers in an external-cavity configuration are investigated. It is found that the electrical mode-hopping noise has a 1/f-dependence when two external-cavity modes are involved in the mode-hopping. Furthermore, it is found that the optical feedback can suppress the electrical noise significantly below the noise level of the free-running laser. This corresponds to a reduction of the emission line width which is in agreement with the reduction of the electrical noise level. A novel, nonoptical, scheme for active elimination of mode-hopping attributable to thermal drift or mechanical disturbances in CW-operated external-cavity lasers is also proposed and demonstrated. Using this method, where the electrical noise is used as an error signal in a control loop, long-term single external-cavity mode operation and low electrical noise and optical intensity noise levels were maintained.

• Research Organization: Dept. of Electrical Measurements, Chalmers Univ. of Technology, S-412 96 Gothenburg
• OSTI ID: 5521176
• Journal Information: IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States), Journal Name: IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States) Vol. QE-23:12; ISSN IEJQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
ALUMINIUM ARSENIDES
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
ELECTRO-OPTICAL EFFECTS
FEEDBACK
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
HETEROJUNCTIONS
JUNCTIONS
LASER CAVITIES
LASERS
NOISE
OPERATION
PNICTIDES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS