Generation and Stabilization of Continuous-Wave THz Emission from a Bi-Color VECSEL

Thibault A.G. Bondaz; Alexandre Laurain; Jerome V. Moloney; John G. McInerney

doi:10.1109/LPT.2019.2938169

Generation and Stabilization of Continuous-Wave THz Emission from a Bi-Color VECSEL

Thibault A.G. Bondaz, Alexandre Laurain, Jerome V. Moloney, John G. McInerney

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present a laser system for the generation and stabilization of continuous wave emission at 1.9 THz. The system is based on difference frequency generation (DFG) from a bi-color vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL). The intracavity DFG process enables THz generation with milliwatt power level at room temperature with a clear quadratic dependence red on the intracavity power. The two colors are spectrally selected via an intracavity etalon while the laser cavity geometry is engineered to minimize mode competition between the two colors via spatial hole burning, improving the stability of the THz emission. The intensity noise of the THz output is further reduced by 16 dB/Hz with an active stabilization scheme. The origin of residual fluctuations is discussed and we found that the asymmetrical amplification of one color reduced the RIN even further, down to 21 dB/Hz, comparing to the free-running symmetrical lasing.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	8820030
Pages (from-to)	1569-1572
Number of pages	4
Journal	IEEE Photonics Technology Letters
Volume	31
Issue number	19
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/LPT.2019.2938169
State	Published - Oct 1 2019

Keywords

DFG
Semiconductor lasers
THz source
VECSEL
bi-color
stabilization

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Access to Document

10.1109/LPT.2019.2938169

Cite this

@article{e6ab8949b51d43b989de9cbe9faf11b8,

title = "Generation and Stabilization of Continuous-Wave THz Emission from a Bi-Color VECSEL",

abstract = "We present a laser system for the generation and stabilization of continuous wave emission at 1.9 THz. The system is based on difference frequency generation (DFG) from a bi-color vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL). The intracavity DFG process enables THz generation with milliwatt power level at room temperature with a clear quadratic dependence red on the intracavity power. The two colors are spectrally selected via an intracavity etalon while the laser cavity geometry is engineered to minimize mode competition between the two colors via spatial hole burning, improving the stability of the THz emission. The intensity noise of the THz output is further reduced by 16 dB/Hz with an active stabilization scheme. The origin of residual fluctuations is discussed and we found that the asymmetrical amplification of one color reduced the RIN even further, down to 21 dB/Hz, comparing to the free-running symmetrical lasing.",

keywords = "DFG, Semiconductor lasers, THz source, VECSEL, bi-color, stabilization",

author = "Bondaz, {Thibault A.G.} and Alexandre Laurain and Moloney, {Jerome V.} and McInerney, {John G.}",

note = "Funding Information: Manuscript received February 14, 2019; revised August 21, 2019; accepted August 25, 2019. Date of publication August 29, 2019; date of current version September 16, 2019. This work was supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under award number FA9550-17-1-0246. (Corresponding author: Alexandre Laurain.) T. A. G. Bondaz is with the College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA, and also with the Department of Physics, University College of Cork, T12 K8AF Cork, Ireland. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 1989-2012 IEEE.",

year = "2019",

month = oct,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1109/LPT.2019.2938169",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "31",

pages = "1569--1572",

journal = "IEEE Photonics Technology Letters",

issn = "1041-1135",

publisher = "Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.",

number = "19",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Generation and Stabilization of Continuous-Wave THz Emission from a Bi-Color VECSEL

AU - Bondaz, Thibault A.G.

AU - Laurain, Alexandre

AU - Moloney, Jerome V.

AU - McInerney, John G.

N1 - Funding Information: Manuscript received February 14, 2019; revised August 21, 2019; accepted August 25, 2019. Date of publication August 29, 2019; date of current version September 16, 2019. This work was supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under award number FA9550-17-1-0246. (Corresponding author: Alexandre Laurain.) T. A. G. Bondaz is with the College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA, and also with the Department of Physics, University College of Cork, T12 K8AF Cork, Ireland. Publisher Copyright: © 1989-2012 IEEE.

PY - 2019/10/1

Y1 - 2019/10/1

N2 - We present a laser system for the generation and stabilization of continuous wave emission at 1.9 THz. The system is based on difference frequency generation (DFG) from a bi-color vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL). The intracavity DFG process enables THz generation with milliwatt power level at room temperature with a clear quadratic dependence red on the intracavity power. The two colors are spectrally selected via an intracavity etalon while the laser cavity geometry is engineered to minimize mode competition between the two colors via spatial hole burning, improving the stability of the THz emission. The intensity noise of the THz output is further reduced by 16 dB/Hz with an active stabilization scheme. The origin of residual fluctuations is discussed and we found that the asymmetrical amplification of one color reduced the RIN even further, down to 21 dB/Hz, comparing to the free-running symmetrical lasing.

AB - We present a laser system for the generation and stabilization of continuous wave emission at 1.9 THz. The system is based on difference frequency generation (DFG) from a bi-color vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL). The intracavity DFG process enables THz generation with milliwatt power level at room temperature with a clear quadratic dependence red on the intracavity power. The two colors are spectrally selected via an intracavity etalon while the laser cavity geometry is engineered to minimize mode competition between the two colors via spatial hole burning, improving the stability of the THz emission. The intensity noise of the THz output is further reduced by 16 dB/Hz with an active stabilization scheme. The origin of residual fluctuations is discussed and we found that the asymmetrical amplification of one color reduced the RIN even further, down to 21 dB/Hz, comparing to the free-running symmetrical lasing.

KW - DFG

KW - Semiconductor lasers

KW - THz source

KW - VECSEL

KW - bi-color

KW - stabilization

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85072531592&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85072531592&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1109/LPT.2019.2938169

DO - 10.1109/LPT.2019.2938169

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85072531592

SN - 1041-1135

VL - 31

SP - 1569

EP - 1572

JO - IEEE Photonics Technology Letters

JF - IEEE Photonics Technology Letters

IS - 19

M1 - 8820030

ER -

Generation and Stabilization of Continuous-Wave THz Emission from a Bi-Color VECSEL

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this