Manufacturing & Prototyping

Automated laser linewidth and laser phase-noise measurement system

Measurement of a frequency noise power spectral density of an external cavity diode laser (ECDL) and its calculated linewidths
© Fraunhofer IZM
Measurement of a frequency noise power spectral density of an external cavity diode laser (ECDL) and its calculated linewidths.
Measurement station with narrow linewidth ECDL reference lasers at 780nm and 850nm
© Fraunhofer IZM
Measurement station with narrow linewidth ECDL reference lasers at 780nm and 850nm.

Basic characteristics of the spectral purity of a laser is given by its linewidth. However, any result of the linewidth measurement depends on the measurement time. In addition, different spectral shapes can be characterized by the same linewidth. The full information about the spectral noise of a laser source (also its linewidth at different measurement times) can be read out of the power spectral density of the frequency (or phase) noise.

For laser developers and manufacturers we offer plug-and-play measurement of the full spectral noise characteristics of fiber coupled (FC-PC or FC-APC connectors) sources. Send us your laser or visit us for performing the measurement.

Technical specifications:

  • Wavelength range: 740-935nm
  • Noise Fourier-frequency (offset frequency) range: 1Hz-10MHz
  • Instantaneous (<10µs measurement time) linewidth sensitivity ~1Hz
  • FWHM linewidth range (<10ms measurement time): a few Hz – 10MHz
  • Input power range: +5 to +15 dBm
  • We can connect your laser to a low noise current driver  (<1µA RMS)
 

Key Research Areas

Photonic Packaging

Fraunhofer IZM’s research into photonics for communication and sensor systems, in which we combine optoelectronics and microoptics, has a three-fold aim: miniaturization, improving efficiency and increasing functionality.