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Offset phase locking of noisy diode lasers aided by frequency division

Published

Author(s)

Elizabeth A. Donley, Eugene N. Ivanov, Francois-Xavier R. Esnault

Abstract

For heterodyne phase locking, frequency division of the beat note between two oscillators can improve the reliability of the phase lock and the quality of the phase synchronization. Frequency division can also reduce the size, weight, power, and cost of the instrument by excluding the microwave synthesizer from the control loop when the heterodyne offset frequency is large (5 to 10 GHz). We have experimentally tested the use of a frequency divider in an optical phase-lock loop and compared the achieved level of residual phase fluctuations between two diode lasers with that achieved without the use of a frequency divider. The two methods achieve comparable phase stability provided that sufficient loop gain is maintained after frequency division to preserve the required bandwidth. We have also numerically analyzed the noise properties and internal dynamics of phase-locked loops subjected to a high level of phase fluctuations, and our modeling confirms the expected benefits of having an in-loop frequency divider.
Citation
Review of Scientific Instruments
Volume
82

Keywords

Diode Lasers, Phase-Lock Loops

Citation

Donley, E. , Ivanov, E. and Esnault, F. (2011), Offset phase locking of noisy diode lasers aided by frequency division, Review of Scientific Instruments, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=908171 (Accessed March 29, 2024)
Created August 31, 2011, Updated February 19, 2017