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U.S. Department of Energy
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Servo stabilization of two CO/sub 2/ lasers 10. 7 MHz apart. Final report, Jan--Oct 1974

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7347773
Two carbon dioxide lasers were stabilized relative to each other by negative feedback, when the two optical cavities were mounted in a common mechanical cavity. With negative feedback, the lasers maintained a relative frequency stability one order of magnitude better than the no feedback, free-running, condition. The feedback system consisted of a HgCdTe detector operating in the photovoltaic mode to provide the beat frequency signal of the two lasers; it included also an inexpensive IC discriminator circuit operating at the FM intermediate frequency of 10.7 MHz, and the appropriate amplification to drive the piezoelectric length control of one laser, and thus modify the absolute frequency of that laser. When the absolute frequencies of the lasers were inverted relative to the negative feedback situation, the feedback system produced positive feedback. With positive feedback, the lasers maintained a frequency stability, relative to each other, of one order of magnitude worse than the no feedback, free-running condition.
Research Organization:
Systems Research Labs., Inc., Dayton, Ohio (USA)
OSTI ID:
7347773
Report Number(s):
AD-A-011998
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English