Report on the Power and Detector Stability Measurements for the QC Laser Alignment System

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This report summarizes the preliminary tests that PNNL has performed to date for the Quantum Cascade (QC) Laser Alignment System that is being developed for the Using Client for a classified application. PNNL is designing, fabricating, assembling, and testing the QC Laser Alignment System and has a subcontract with Maxion Technologies, Inc. for development and production of the QC laser devices to be used in this system. The QC lasers furnished by Maxion will be incorporated into the QC Laser Alignment System by PNNL. The QC Laser Alignment System consists of five Alignment Source Assemblies (ASAs) and a computer control system with graphical user interface (GUI). Each ASA has two QC lasers along with a temperature sensor. The system design also includes an optical detector for each QC laser to measure the output power of the rear facet for additional stabilization. The system will monitor the voltage across the QC laser, the temperature, the current, and the signal from the optical detectors to ensure the system is within the tolerances specified in the System Specifications. The System Specifications require that the relative power between lasers on the same ASA be maintained at {+-}1% and among the lasers on different ASAsmore » at {+-}2.5%. For the tests reported here, we attempted to examine the power stability of the QC laser as well as the variability of the optical detectors to ensure the system will adhere to these specifications. These preliminary tests did not incorporate the actual ASA mounting scheme or the QC lasers that are being fabricated by Maxion to operate at the specified temperature of -50 C. Thus, we expect the performance from these results to differ from the actual results that can be achieved in the QC Laser Alignment System. Current limitations with the mounting scheme created problems with the power stability due to thermal cycling. Short-term power stability where thermal cycling was not a problem showed power fluctuations within the 1 % tolerance limits. Once thermal cycling was introduced, however, larger variations resulted although most measurements were still within the 2.5% tolerance limits. Unfortunately, problems with the mount worsened, which contributed to a drop in power for the long-term measurements, until finally we lost electrical contact with the device. The variability tests for the optical detectors were encouraging and show that monitoring the light from the rear facet of the QC laser should provide sufficient feedback to maintain the QC lasers within the system specifications.« less