Intensity tuning characteristics of double-mode He--Ne laser with optical feedback

This paper investigates the intensity tuning characteristics of a double longitudinal modes He--Ne laser subjected to optical feedback. The intensity undulations of the total light and the two modes are observed for different external cavity length. Two modulations of the internal cavity length are performed. One is only for the internal cavity length being modulated and the other is for both the internal and the external cavity length being modulated. The undulation frequency of the total light is found to be determined by the ratio of external cavity length to internal cavity length in both modulations. When the external cavity length is integral times of the internal cavity length, the fringe frequency of the total light could be seven or even more times of that in conventional optical feedback. A simple theoretical analysis is presented, which is in good agreement with the experimental results. The potential use of the experimental results is also discussed.     

Intensity Tuning in Single Mode Microchip Nd：YAG Laser with External Cavity

We investigate the characteristics of intensity tuning in a single mode microchip Nd：YAG laser with an external cavity. The undulation of laser intensity in a period of A/2 change of the internal cavity length is observed. Two different optical feedback cases are performed. One is an external cavity reflector perfectly aligned and the other is an external cavity reflector tilted. However, the fluctuation frequency of laser intensity in a period of A/2 change of the internal cavity length in these two cases is found to be determined by the ratio of external cavity length to internal cavity length. Meanwhile, for the tilted external cavity, the fluctuation frequency is also related to multiple feedbacks in the tilted external cavity.     

Polarization switching in a quasi-isotropic microchip Nd:YAG laser induced by optical feedback

This paper demonstrates the influence of external optical feedback on the polarization state of longitudinal modes in quasi-isotropic microchip Nd:YAG lasers. Under optical feedback, the polarization state of longitudinal modes in quasi-isotropic lasers relies strongly on the intracavity anisotropy loss and mode competition. When the intracavity anisotropy loss is small, external optical feedback can cause polarization switching and strong mode competition between two orthogonal linearly polarized eigenstates of one laser longitudinal mode, which leads to the distortion of laser intensity modulation waveform. The polarization switching is independent of the initial external cavity length. By increasing the intracavity anisotropy loss, one polarization eigenstate can be suppressed and the laser works in single-polarization state. A theoretical analysis based on the compound cavity model is presented, which is in good agreement with the experimental results. The results offer guidance to the development of laser feedback interferometers.     

Influence of Optical Feedback from Birefringence External Cavity on Intensity Tuning and Polarization of Laser

The characteristics of intensity tuning and polarization of He-Ne laser with optical feedback are studied. When the internal cavity length of the laser with birefringence optical feedback is tuned, not only does output intensity vary with laser frequency, but also the polarization periodically hops between two orthogonal directions. If the phase difference of birefringence is π/2, two polarization states Mternately oscillate and have equal bandwidths within the longitudinal mode spacing. The times of polarization flipping in the longitudinal mode bandwidth is proportional to the ratio of external cavity length to internal cavity length. The experimental results are explained, and the potential uses are also discussed.     

Strong optical feedback in birefringent dual frequency laser

Strong optical feedback in a birefringent dual frequency He--Ne laser with a high reflectivity feedback mirror has been investigated for the first time. The output characteristics of two orthogonally polarized modes are demonstrated in two different optical feedback cases: one is for both modes being fed back and the other is for only one of the modes being fed back. Strong mode competition can be observed between the two modes with strong optical feedback. And when one mode's intensity is near its maximum, the other mode is nearly extinguished. When both modes are fed back into the laser cavity, the mode competition is stronger than when only one mode is fed back. The difference in initial intensity between the two orthogonally polarized modes plays an important role in the mode competition, which has been experimentally and theoretically demonstrated.     

Laser Feedback Technique for Precise Retardation Measurements

A simple and precise retardation measurement based on laser feedback is demonstrated. The measurement principle is based on polarization flipping induced by optical feedback from an external birefringence cavity. The measured wave plate is located in the external cavity. When the length of the external cavity is tuned, the polarization states of laser will flip between two eigenstates, and the position of polarization flipping in one period of intensity modulation will vary with retardation of the wave plate. The duty ratio of two eigenstates is used to determine the retardation. Main advantages of the technique are that it is compact, low cost, fast and flexible. Especially, it is insensitive to a fluctuation of laser intensity and is suitable for on-line measurement. The experimental results have shown that the measurement uncertainty is better than 0.03° in the range 30°-150°.     

Anisotropic optical feedback of single frequency intra-cavity He--Ne laser

This paper presents the anisotropic optical feedback of a single frequency intra-cavity He--Ne laser. A novel phenomenon was discovered that the laser output an elliptical polarized frequency instead of the initial linear polarized one. Two intensities with a phase difference were detected, both of which were modulated in the form of cosine wave and a fringe shift corresponds to a λ/2 movement of the feedback mirror. The phase difference can be continuously modulated by the wave plate in the external cavity. Frequency stabilization was used to stabilize the laser frequency so as to enlarge the measuring range and improve the measurement precision. This anisotropic optical feedback system offers a potential displacement measurement technology with the function of subdivision of λ/2 and in-time direction judgment. The three-mirror Fabry--Perot cavity model is used to present the experimental results. Given the lack of need of lasing adjustment, this full intra-cavity laser can significantly improve the simplicity and stability of the optical feedback system.     

Distortion of optical feedback signals in microchip Nd:YAG lasers subjected to external multi-beam interference feedback

This paper proposes a theoretical analysis for the characteristics of an external cavity Nd:YAG laser with feedback of multiple-beam interference, which is induced by the multi-reentrance of the light from the external Fabry--Perot cavity. The theoretical model considers the multiple beam interference of the external Fabry--Perot cavity. It is found that the optical feedback signals are distorted to pulse waveforms instead of the sinusoidal ones in conventional feedback. The experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical analysis. The obtained theoretical and experimental results can advance the development of a laser feedback interferometer.     

Optical feedback characteristics in a helium neon laser with a birefringent internal cavity

The output characteristics of optical feedback in a helium neon laser with a birefringent internal cavity are studied systematically in five different regions of the gain curve for the two orthogonally polarized modes. When the laser operates in the two end regions of the laser gain curve, one of the two orthogonally polarized modes will be a leading one in optical feedback. Strong mode competition can be observed. However, when the laser operates in the middle region of the laser gain curve, the two modes can oscillate equally with optical feedback. Besides the intensity of the two polarized lights, the total light intensity is also studied at the same time. M-shaped optical feedback curves are found. Particularly, when the average intensities of the two lights are comparable, the intensity modulation curve of the total light is doubled, which can be used to improve the resolution of an optical feedback system.[第一段]     

Modes competition in a birefringence cavity laser with optical feedback

The modes competition characteristics in birefringence cavity laser are studied in different regions of the gain curve. The mode's intensity modulation depth with modes competition is much deeper than that without modes competition. When the average intensities of the two modes are comparable, the intensity modulation depth of either mode reaches its maximum. Modes competition can do more contribution to the mode's modulation depth than the percentage of light reflected back into the laser cavity does. These characteristics can be used to improve the sensitivity of an optical feedback system. A modes competition factor is introduced to either mode's intensity expression which describes the laser intensity more precisely.     

光回馈Nd:YAG激光器中的多模跳变现象

研究了Nd:YAG激光器中光回馈引起的多模跳变现象.光回馈调制了激光器不同纵模的阈值增益，阈值增益最低的纵模获得振荡.在外腔调谐过程中，当振荡模式的阈值增益高于相邻模式的阈值增益时产生模跳变，光强调制曲线出现相应的波动.各跳变纵模在增益曲线上的位置不同，导致模跳变点位置不同，相应的光强调制曲线也不同.越靠近中心频率的纵模，其光强信号峰值越大，该纵模持续振荡时间也就越长.当两跳变纵模关于中心频率对称时，其光强信号峰值相等，纵模持续振荡时间也相等. 关键词： 自混合干涉 模跳变 光回馈 阈值增益     

Optical feedback in a Zeeman-birefringence HeNe laser and its application in ranging

The optical feedback characteristics in a Zeeman-birefringence HeNe laser have been studied systematically when the external cavity varies in a large range. The intensity variations of the two orthogonally polarized lights are observed during the laser cavity tuning in the dual frequency laser. When the external cavity length is an integral multiple of the laser cavity length, either polarized light's intensity modulation depth varies not obviously when the laser works in dual modes conditions or single mode condition. But when the external cavity length is far away from an integral multiple of the laser cavity length and the laser works in different dual modes conditions, polarized light's intensity modulation depth varies obviously. This characteristic can guide us to tune the laser to work in single mode condition to improve the sensitivity of the optical system when the system is used for a large displacement measurement. It can also be used for measuring the position of the target mirror. The theoretical analysis is in good agreement with experimental results.     

Intensity modulation and multi modes hopping induced by phase change in external cavity Nd:YAG lasers

Intensity modulation and multi modes hopping in Nd:YAG lasers subjected to optical feedback have been studied experimentally and theoretically. Their dependence on the external-cavity-phase has been studied. The results are compared with the predictions of the model of threshold gain modulation. As the initial length of external cavity is changed the number of hopping modes also changes.     

短外腔偏振旋转光反馈下1550nm垂直腔面发射激光器的动力学特性研究

基于扩展的自旋反转模型,对短外腔偏振旋转光反馈下1550 nm垂直腔面发射激光器的动力学特性进行了数值仿真和理论分析.研究结果表明:增加反馈强度会导致多个偏振开关现象出现,中等反馈强度下呈现丰富的动力学状态,譬如单周期、倍周期、准周期及混沌态,增加注入电流使Y方向线偏振模的工作区域被压缩;随着反馈延迟时间的增加,在弱光反馈时,偏振模跳变现象将会以特定的频率发生,施加中等的反馈强度将会导致模式跳变的频率增加,并且出现各种新的动力学状态,包括拍频单周期、拍频脉冲包络、拍频准周期和拍频混沌态.新动力学行为的出现是由于短外腔区激光器的动力学特性对相位变化非常敏感,从而使外腔模式间的拍频效应发挥了关键作用.此外还发现各种动力学状态之间会伴随模式间的跳变而发生相互跳变.     

各向异性外腔微片Nd:YAG激光器调频回馈研究

研究了在各向异性外腔下微片Nd:YAG激光器调频回馈特性.作为对比,首先给出了在各向同性外腔下调频回馈结果,激光器输出功率的半波条纹数正比于外、内腔长度之比.在回馈外腔中内置一个四分之一波片,激光偏振态发生规律性跳变,每个纵模带宽内的偏振跳变次数正比于外、内腔长之比,相同外腔长下,回馈条纹再次倍频.进行了基于法布里-珀罗腔等效模型的理论分析,结果和实验相符合.此现象在精密测量领域有潜在应用. 关键词： 光回馈 调频回馈 各向异性外腔 半波条纹数     

Self-mixing interference effects in orthogonally polarized dual-frequency Nd:YAG lasers at different feedback levels

The self-mixing interference effects are investigated in birefringence dual-frequency Nd:YAG lasers at different optical feedback levels. For weak feedback level, both of the intensities of the two modes are sinusoidally modulated by external cavity length with a feedback period of half laser wavelength. While these two modes can only coexist in a part of feedback period at moderate feedback level, i.e., one mode reaches its maximum intensity, the other one extinguishes. At high feedback level, complete polarization switching (one mode oscillating, the other one extinguishing) between two polarized modes is observed, and every switching corresponds to quarter-wavelength variation of external cavity length. Furthermore, two feedback schemes, i.e., isotropic optical feedback (IOF) and polarized optical feedback (POF) are taken into account. The theoretical analysis based on a model of two-mode-coupled laser is presented, which is in good agreement with experimental results. Our results can advance the research of self-mixing interferometer of orthogonally polarized dual-frequency lasers.     

Micromechanical Photonics: Microresonator Displacement Measurement by an Extremely-Short-Length External Cavity Laser Diode

A composite cavity laser diode was used to monitor the displacement of the external cavity microresonator from the phase difference in the near field. The carrier-to-noise ratio was very high (more than 45 dB) because of the lack of mode hopping noise due to the extremely short (less than 3 μm) external cavity length and strong optical feedback. The small distance (near field) allows a lensless system, making it easier to integrate on a gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrate.     

External optical feedback effects in a frequency locking dual frequency laser

We present a systematic study of external optical feedback effects on the output characteristics of the two orthogonally polarized modes in a frequency locking dual frequency laser. Accompanied by the change of the external cavity length, the length of the resonance cavity is changed very slowly to set the oscillating modes sweeping across the laser gain curve. Comprehensive results are obtained and a strong mode competition is observed. Particularly, when the laser runs in the middle region of the gain curve, which mode can oscillate is determined by the movement direction of the external feedback mirror. Based on the phenomenon, a displacement sensor with directional discrimination is proposed and its capability is also discussed.