Alpha Measurement Using Laser Dynamics

Authors

Yuxi Ruan, University of WollongongFollow
Bin Liu, University of Wollongong
Yanguang Yu, University of WollongongFollow
Jiangtao Xi, University of WollongongFollow
Qinghua Guo, University of WollongongFollow
Jun Tong, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

133612

Publication Details

Y. Ruan, B. Liu, Y. Yu, J. Xi, Q. Guo & J. Tong, "Alpha Measurement Using Laser Dynamics," in IFCS 2018 - IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium, 2018, pp. 1-4.

Abstract

The linewidth enhancement factor (alpha) is an important parameter for a semiconductor laser (SL). This paper presents a new method for measuring alpha by using the dynamics of an SL with optical feedback. A self-mixing interferometry (SMI) configuration is used to implement the proposed method. The relaxation oscillation (RO) of an SL with optical feedback carries the information of alpha. Staring from the well-known Lang-Kobayashi (L-K) equations, we investigated the transient behavior of an SL with external optical feedback, and the relationship between SL' \mathbf{s} RO frequency and alpha. By applying FFT on the transient waveform, the RO frequency can be obtained and further used to calculate alpha. This work provides a new technique to the area of alpha measurement.