Frequency and phaselock control of a 3 THz quantum cascade laser.

Journal Article · Mon Feb 28 23:00:00 EST 2005 · Proposed for publication in Optics Letters.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.259702· OSTI ID:947275

Williams, Benjamin S ^[1]; Hu, Qing ^[1]; Reno, John Louis; Boreiko, R T ^[2]; Betz, A L ^[2]; Kumar, S ^[1]

---

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
2. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

We have locked the frequency of a 3 THz quantum cascade laser (QCL) to that of a far-infrared gas laser with a tunable microwave offset frequency. The locked QCL line shape is essentially Gaussian, with linewidths of 65 and 141 kHz at the -3 and -10 dB levels, respectively. The lock condition can be maintained indefinitely, without requiring temperature or bias current regulation of the QCL other than that provided by the lock error signal. The result demonstrates that a terahertz QCL can be frequency controlled with 1-part-in-108 accuracy, which is a factor of 100 better than that needed for a local oscillator in a heterodyne receiver for atmospheric and astronomic spectroscopy.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 947275
• Report Number(s): SAND2005-1376J
• Journal Information: Proposed for publication in Optics Letters., Journal Name: Proposed for publication in Optics Letters.
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
FREQUENCY CONTROL
LASERS
MODE LOCKING
THZ RANGE 01-100