What narrow-linewidth semiconductor lasers can do for defense and security?

Sensing systems for defense and security operate in evermore demanding environments, increasingly leaving the comfort zone of fiber laser technology. Efficient and rugged laser sources are required that maintain a high level performance under large temperature excursions and sizable vibrations. This paper first presents a sample of defense and security sensing applications requiring laser sources with a narrow emission spectrum. Laser specifications of interest for defense and security sensing applications are reviewed. The effect of the laser frequency noise in interferometric sensing systems is discussed and techniques implemented to reduce phase noise while maintaining the relative intensity noise performance of these sources are reviewed. Developments towards the size reduction of acoustically isolated narrow-linewidth semiconductor lasers are presented. The performance of a narrow-linewidth semiconductor laser subjected to vibrations is characterized. Simulation results of interferometric sensing systems are also presented, taking into account both the intensity and phase noise of the laser.

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