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Microwave Photonics Systems Based on Whispering-gallery-mode Resonators
Published on: August 5, 2013
CaF2 whispering-gallery-mode-resonator stabilized-narrow-linewidth laser.
B Sprenger1, H G L Schwefel, Z H Lu
1Max-Planck-Institute for the Science of Light, Günther-Scharowsky-Strasse 1, Bau 24, 91058 Erlangen, Germany.
Optics Letters
|September 3, 2010
Summary
A novel fiber laser stabilization technique uses a calcium fluoride whispering-gallery-mode resonator to achieve high stability. This method significantly suppresses laser linewidth, demonstrating a stability of 10(-11).
Area of Science:
- Laser physics and optical engineering.
- Materials science for optical resonators.
Background:
- Fiber lasers require precise stabilization for advanced applications.
- Whispering-gallery-mode resonators offer unique filtering properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To stabilize a fiber laser using a CaF(2) whispering-gallery-mode resonator.
- To significantly reduce the laser linewidth and enhance frequency stability.
Main Methods:
- A ring cavity fiber laser setup with a semiconductor optical amplifier gain medium.
- Critical coupling of a CaF(2) whispering-gallery-mode resonator as a filtering element.
- Three-cornered-hat method for stability measurement and self-heterodyne beat technique for linewidth determination.
Main Results:
- Achieved a laser stability of 10(-11) after 10 microseconds.
- Determined a laser linewidth of 13 kHz.
- Demonstrated an enhancement factor of 10(3) in stability compared to the passive cavity linewidth.
Conclusions:
- The CaF(2) whispering-gallery-mode resonator effectively stabilizes fiber lasers.
- This technique offers a significant improvement in laser linewidth suppression and frequency stability.
- The method holds promise for applications requiring highly stable laser sources.
