Abstract
The performance of a frequency-shifted feedback laser (FSFL) using a Nd:YVO4 crystal as gain medium was investigated as light source in high accuracy optical ranging based on optical-frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR). The FSFL generates a comb of chirped frequency components over a bandwidth of 45GHz with chirp rates of 3.8×1017Hz/s. In OFDR, distance accuracies better than 25um at a data measurement time of 2ms were demonstrated at a standoff distance of 5m. The results show that the FSFL is a promising light source for high accuracy, high speed 3D measurement applications.
Highlights
A frequency-shifted feedback laser (FSFL) has a frequency shifter in its cavity such that the intracavity field is frequency shifted by a fixed amount at every round trip
Such a light source is of great interest for high accuracy, high resolution ranging applications based on optical frequency-domain reflectometry (OFDR)
FSFLs operating in the 1550 nm window using erbium-doped fibers [5] or semiconductor optical amplifiers [6] have been widely studied for their potential as light source in high accuracy optical ranging
Summary
A frequency-shifted feedback laser (FSFL) has a frequency shifter in its cavity such that the intracavity field is frequency shifted by a fixed amount at every round trip. In the continuous wave regime, an FSFL can generate a comb of chirped frequency components with very high chirp rates, over a broad bandwidth [1]–[4] Such a light source is of great interest for high accuracy, high resolution ranging applications based on optical frequency-domain reflectometry (OFDR). FSFLs operating in the 1550 nm window using erbium-doped fibers [5] or semiconductor optical amplifiers [6] have been widely studied for their potential as light source in high accuracy optical ranging Owing to their short cavity lengths, solid-state FSFLs operating at 1 μm offer the possibility of generating a chirped comb with faster chirp rate than their fiber counterparts. The spectral characteristics of the Nd:YVO4 FSFL and its ability for long distance ranging has been extensively studied for ranging previously [7]; as with other FSFL, there remains some work to do on investigating the performance in long range, high accuracy ranging applications, namely 3D shape measurements
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