<p>Over the past few years various successful miniaturization attempts of External Cavity Semiconductor Lasers (ECSL) were published. They built upon the rich literature of ECSL configurations that were extensively analyzed and improved upon since the 1960s. This was merged with the microfabrication techniques of 3D structures based on MEMS technology. The main drive for miniaturizing such tunable lasers in the recent past was the huge potential for such devices in all optical networks specifically as signal sources that enable Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM).<br />This thesis compares the different configurations chosen to build tunable lasers using MOEMS technology. Our criteria of comparison include wavelength tuning range, side mode suppression, tuning speed and device dimensions. Designs based on the simple ECSL with a movable external mirror suffered from the tradeoff between tuning range and Side Mode Suppression SMS. To overcome this limitation most designs adopted grating based tuning using the Littrow or Littman/Metcalf configurations. These configurations allow for much better tuning results but don’t lend themselves easily to miniaturization. The grating based devices were bulky and quite complicated to realize.<br />We propose the adoption of the Zhu/Cassidy double external cavity configuration. It retains the simplicity of the single external mirror configuration along with the tuning range and the SMS of including multiple tuning elements. In its original form this configuration suffered from mode hopping within the tuning range. Thorough simulation, design and experimental evidence is presented in this work to show that by extending the configuration to allow full control over both optical tuning elements this drawback can be eliminated.<br />Our proposed design would reduce the form factor to < 300μm x 200μm x 200μm. The voltage required to tune through all the modes is < 40V and the resonant frequency of the mirror is in the 10s of MHz order of magnitude. When coupled with a multimode laser of a sufficiently broad lasing profile this setup should enable a tuning range > 72nm with a SMS >20dB.</p> / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Thesis (MSc (Physics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / In the presented study a diode laser was characterised and used for spec- troscopy, measuring the resonance lines of atomic rubidium. The characteristics of diode lasers and external cavity diode lasers (ECDL) for the purposes of ab- sorption spectroscopy were investigated and an experimental setup for tunable diode laser spectroscopy using an ECDL was developed. In external cavity diode lasers, the advantages of low cost, small size and e ciency of a diode laser is combined with tunability and a narrow frequency bandwidth. The ECDL was applied in experimental setups for absorption spectroscopy and saturated ab- sorption spectroscopy. Measurement of the absorption of atomic rubidium's D2 line near 780 nm is discussed. The Doppler broadened, as well as the Doppler free spectrum of the ne and hyper ne structure of the D2 line were measured and is discussed. Finer control of the ECDL's stability and frequency, using a servo circuit, were investigated and tested. An overview is given of laser cool- ing and trapping of neutral rubidium atoms, which is the main application the ECDL were developed for.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo principal desenvolver uma nova fonte de laser de diodo compacta e robusta, além de um novo drive de controle para serem utilizados em padrões primário de tempo e frequência tipo chafariz de átomo de Césio e padrões compacto baseados em átomos frios. Um dos requisitos para utilização de laser de diodo em padrões primários de tempo e frequência é sua estabilidade em frequência e baixíssimo ruído espectral. Além disto, dada à aplicação embarcada, o laser deve ser extremamente robusto com relação às condições adversas: mecânicas, térmicas e elétricas. Tanto a parte optomecânica, quanto os controles eletrônicos do novo laser foram desenvolvidos neste trabalho. Vale salientar que tal sistema, em sua concepção, é de grande interesse para diversos outros tipos de aplicação, como espectroscopia de gases (LIDAR), referências em outras frequências e experimentos de física atômica e molecular, que possuem elevados níveis de exigência com relação a ruídos espectrais. / This work has as main objective to develop a new source of diode laser compact and robust, beyond a new drive control for use in primary of time and frequency standards type cesium atom fountain and compact standards-based cold atoms. One of the requirements for the use of diode laser in primary of time and frequency standards are their stability in frequency and are very low spectral noise. Furthermore, given the embedded application, the laser must be extremely robust with respect to adverse conditions: mechanical, thermal and electrical. Both opto-mechanical part, as the electronic controls of the new laser were developed in this work. It is noteworthy that such a system, in its conception, is of great interest to many other types of applications such as spectroscopy of gases (LIDAR), references in other frequencies and experiments of atomic and molecular physics, which have high levels of demand with respect to spectral noise.

Phase locking of external-cavity diodes laser¡]ECDL¡^ to the stabilized optical frequency combs of a femtosecond mode-locked laser. Optical frequency combs of a femtosecond mode-locked laser can be the reference standard of dual-wavelength external-cavity diode lasers (ECDLs). Frequency stabilization of two external-cavity diode laser is also demonstrated simultaneously.Suppression of the frequency fluctuation of two ECDLs from hundreds MHz to 200 Hz is demonstrated and characterized. Meanwhile, frequency tunable continuous-wave Tera-Hertz (cw THz) wave is generated and observed by photomixing of the output of two frequency stabilized ECDLS with tunable relative frequency difference on a photoconductive antennas. In our experiment, cw THz wave is demonstrated and with tuning range from 0.200 to 1.240THz and could be attribute as frequency standard of THz.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo principal desenvolver uma nova fonte de laser de diodo compacta e robusta, além de um novo drive de controle para serem utilizados em padrões primário de tempo e frequência tipo chafariz de átomo de Césio e padrões compacto baseados em átomos frios. Um dos requisitos para utilização de laser de diodo em padrões primários de tempo e frequência é sua estabilidade em frequência e baixíssimo ruído espectral. Além disto, dada à aplicação embarcada, o laser deve ser extremamente robusto com relação às condições adversas: mecânicas, térmicas e elétricas. Tanto a parte optomecânica, quanto os controles eletrônicos do novo laser foram desenvolvidos neste trabalho. Vale salientar que tal sistema, em sua concepção, é de grande interesse para diversos outros tipos de aplicação, como espectroscopia de gases (LIDAR), referências em outras frequências e experimentos de física atômica e molecular, que possuem elevados níveis de exigência com relação a ruídos espectrais. / This work has as main objective to develop a new source of diode laser compact and robust, beyond a new drive control for use in primary of time and frequency standards type cesium atom fountain and compact standards-based cold atoms. One of the requirements for the use of diode laser in primary of time and frequency standards are their stability in frequency and are very low spectral noise. Furthermore, given the embedded application, the laser must be extremely robust with respect to adverse conditions: mechanical, thermal and electrical. Both opto-mechanical part, as the electronic controls of the new laser were developed in this work. It is noteworthy that such a system, in its conception, is of great interest to many other types of applications such as spectroscopy of gases (LIDAR), references in other frequencies and experiments of atomic and molecular physics, which have high levels of demand with respect to spectral noise.

La capacité des sources laser à concentrer une quantité d’énergie énorme intéresse beaucoup le secteur industriel pour l’usinage et la structuration de la matière. Il faut pour cela rassembler une forte puissance optique sur une surface infime: on parle alors de luminance. La combinaison cohérente permet de répondre à la problématique de l’augmentation de la luminance d’un système laser. Dans le cadre du projet européen BRIDLE, ces travaux sont focalisés sur la combinaison cohérente de lasers à semi-conducteur. Ce type de combinaison nécessite un accord de phase stable entre les différents émetteurs. Plusieurs techniques permettent cette mise en phase; nous étudions en particulier les techniques d’amplification en parallèle ainsi que l’utilisation d’une cavité externe commune. L’originalité se situe dans le développement d’une architecture nouvelle, pensée pour optimiser l’extraction de puissance. La technique consiste à utiliser une cavité étendue commune aux émetteurs à combiner pour leur mise en phase, placée sur leur face arrière. Tout en fournissant un fort retour optique arrière nécessaire à la mise en phase, l’extraction de puissance est maximisée sur la face avant où les faisceaux sont par la suite combinés extracavité. Ce document démontre la bonne adéquation de cette architecture avec les meilleures diodes laser en termes de luminance : les émetteurs à section évasée. L’étude est étendue à une barrette de diodes par l’utilisation d’éléments diffractifs optique permettant la séparation et la combinaison des faisceaux. / Scaling up the brightness of laser diodes is a major research objective in the laser community. The coherent beam of several emitters is the most efficient technique to increase the brightness by constructive interference. An efficient combination can only be achieved in an arrangement that forces the required phase relation between the emitters. Different approaches are investigated: either active phase-locking of amplifiers seeded by a single-frequency laser split into N beams and amplified in parallel, or passive selforganization of emitters in a common laser cavity. We investigate a new coherent combining architecture using a common extended cavity on the back side of diode lasers for phase locking. As a result, the efficiency of the phase-locked laser cavity is increased as compared to standard front-side configurations. Moreover, such an extended cavity placed on the rear-side provides the strong optical feedback required for phase-locked operation. This configuration is demonstrated with high-brightness tapered devices, highlighting the capability of such setup for high power operation. This architecture is then extended to diode laser arrays by the use of diffractive optical elements.

<p>The development of silicon photonics, driven by the increasing demand for bandwidth from data centre applications, is receiving growing attention. As a result of the indirect bandgap of Si material, it is more practical to heterogeneously incorporate the laser source than fabricate directly on Si. Of all the approaches, an external cavity laser (ECL) approach which consists of III-V gain material and Si photonic integrated circuit (SiPIC), is a flexible and cost effective solution. This thesis captures theoretical and experimental work on the design of SiPIC ECLs. In addition, a four wavelength laser source using an SiPIC ECL scheme is proposed and studied.</p> <p>The theoretical tool is first introduced on the traveling wave model (TWM) and it is numerically solved with FDTD in Matlab. A digital filter approach is used to describe the feedback from an SiPIC external cavity, where the phase delay of the digital filter is investigated and utilized to set the cavity length.</p> <p>The III-V gain chip and SiPIC are then examined separately for their characterization, along with the coupling and feedback requirements in an ECL design.</p> <p>Lastly, experiments are conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of four wavelength ECLs and SiPIC ECLs.</p> / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A magneto optical trap (MOT) is capable of trapping a vapor cloud consisting of atoms cooled down to the micro Kelvin range. Three orthogonal pairs of counter-propagating laser beams of the correct circular polarisation form an optical molasses which facilitates the cooling of neutral atoms. Additionally a spatially non-uniform magnetic field produced by two current carrying coils in a Maxwell gradient configuration is used to trap the cooled atoms. In this report the effects of the trap parameters, including the laser beam intensity and frequency detuning, beam diameter and magnetic field gradient, on the number of trapped atoms are discussed. Secondly the development of an experimental setup for laser cooling and trapping of 87Rb atoms in vacuum with the aid of a MOT is presented. All trap components were implemented and characterised. The vacuum system and trapping chamber in which the cooling takes place were designed and constructed. A rubidium getter to act as a source of atoms was integrated into the vacuum system. The two external cavity diode lasers used for trapping and optical re-pumping were characterised. The optical setup required for the optical molasses was designed, constructed and characterised. Saturated absorption spectroscopy was performed to investigate the hyperfine structure of 87Rb and to frequency lock the lasers. We report on the current status of the project with regards to progress, results and future work. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Magneto-optiese val (magneto optical trap, MOT) kan 'n dampwolk van atome vang en afkoel tot in die mikro Kelvin bereik. Drie ortogonale pare laserbundels, elke paar voortplantend in teenoorgestelde rigtings, met die korrekte sirkelvormige polarisasie vorm 'n sogenaamde optiese molasse wat die afkoeling van neutrale atome moontlik maak. Bykomend word 'n ruimtelik nie-uniforme magneetveld geproduseer deur twee stroomdraende spoele in 'n Maxwell gradient-opstelling gebruik om die afgekoelde atome te vang. In hierdie verslag word die invloed van die val parameters, insluitend die laserbundel intensiteit en frekwensie afstemming, die laserbundel deursnit en magneetveld gradiënt, op die aantal atome in die val bespreek. Tweedens word die ontwikkeling van 'n eksperimentele opstelling vir laser afkoeling en vang van 87Rb atome in vakuum met die hulp van 'n MOT voorgelê. Alle komponente van die val is geïmplementeer en gekarakteriseer. Die vakuumsisteem en val-kamer waarin die afkoeling plaasvind is ontwerp en gebou. 'n Rubidium gasbinder is in die vakuumsisteem ingebou om as 'n bron van atome te dien. Die twee eksterne resonator diodelasers wat gebruik is vir die val en die optiese terugpomp is gekarakteriseer. Die optiese opstelling wat nodig is vir die optiese molasse is ontwerp, gebou en gekarakteriseer. Versadigde absorpsiespektroskopie is uitgevoer om die hiperfynstruktuur van 87Rb te ondersoek en om die lasers se frekwensies te stabiliseer. Verslag word gedoen oor die huidige stand van die projek wat betref vordering, resultate en toekomstige werk.

Thesis (M.S.)--Miami University, Dept. of Physics, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF document. Document formatted into pages; contains [1], ix, 93 p. : ill. Includes bibliographical references (p. 88-93).

This thesis focuses on the utilisation of mid-infrared techniques in technological atmospheric pressure, non-thermal plasma (NTP) diagnostics. Two mid-infrared techniques were demonstrated in this work namely laser absorption and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The performance of external-cavity quantum cascade laser (EC-QCL), a relatively new laser type with broad tuning capability was also demonstrated as potential diagnostics tool for technological NTP applications. A dual plate dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) and a packed-bed NTP reactor were designed and fabricated to perform plasma process. Quantitative analysis of the laser absorption and FTIR spectroscopy techniques for gas detection were validated by using standard gas samples. Real-time CO monitoring by means of in-situ laser absorption spectroscopy measurements were performed for gas phase diagnostics in the decomposition of TEOS by means of plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PE-CVD) and in CO2 reforming of CH4 by means of NTP. In-line FTIR measurements simultaneously recorded the gas spectrum at the exhaust of the plasma reactors. Information from both measurements was found to provide useful information on the plasma processes and chemistry for the NTP applications. Finally, wavelength stability and linearity performance of a broad tuning range EC-QCL were evaluated by using the Allan variance technique. (LOD) at SNR = 1 was estimated to be ~ 2 ppm, achieved under atmospheric pressure, at the room temperature, and a path length of 41 cm for NO detection produced from the decomposition of dichloromethane (DCM) by means of NTP.