Effects of external reflector alignment in sensing applications of optical feedback in laser diodes

Author

Addy, Richard C. ; Palmer, Andrew W. ; Thomas, Kenneth ; Grattan, Victor

Author_Institution

Meas. & Instrum. Centre, City Univ., London, UK

Volume

14

Issue

12

fYear

1996

fDate

12/1/1996 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2672

Lastpage

2676

Abstract

The alignment of the components in sensor systems based on external optical feedback is a critical factor due to the small size of laser aperture into which the returned light must be coupled. This paper presents experimental results and a theoretical explanation which show that the fringe frequency of a self-mixing interferometric sensor system can be doubled due to misalignment of the external reflector. The double frequency fringes are less sensitive to the alignment of the reflector than the normal fringes and offer a potential increase in the resolution of a sensing system of a factor of two

Keywords

laser feedback; laser mirrors; light interferometers; measurement by laser beam; multiwave mixing; optical harmonic generation; optical sensors; OHG; double frequency fringes; external optical feedback; external reflector alignment; fringe frequency; laser aperture; laser diodes; optical feedback; optical sensors; resolution; returned light coupling; self-mixing interferometric sensor system; sensing applications; sensitive; small size; Diode lasers; Frequency; Laser feedback; Laser theory; Laser transitions; Optical attenuators; Optical coupling; Optical feedback; Output feedback; Refractive index;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Lightwave Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0733-8724

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/50.545785

Filename

545785