Frequency-shifted optical feedback in a pumping laser diode dynamically amplified by a microchip laser.

Abstract

Compared with conventional optical heterodyne detection, laser optical feedback imaging (LOFI) allows for a several orders of magnitude higher intensity modulation contrast. The maximum contrast amplification is typically 10(3) for a diode laser in the gigahertz range and 10(6) for a microchip laser in the megahertz range. To take advantage of the wavelength tunability of a laser diode and of the lower resonant detection frequency of a microchip laser, we used LOFI modulation induced by the frequency-shifted optical feedback in a laser diode as a modulated pumping power for a microchip laser for resonant dynamic amplification. In this way, we were able to transfer the optical feedback sensitivity of the laser diode to the megahertz range. Application to telemetry is also reported.