Abstract

The development of fiber optic interferometric sensor systems has created new demands for single mode semiconductor diode lasers with low output noise power. Recently, several single longitudinal and transverse mode GaAlAs laser diodes have become available. Several experimenters have reported the deleterious effects of optical feedback resulting from fiber optic coupling on the laser's mode structure and high frequency noise spectrum.^1-3 Our interest for interferometric sensors is in the low frequency noise, up to a few kilohertz. We report here the first such low frequency noise measurements in fiber coupled and uncoupled single mode diode lasers. Additionally, we also show that the use of index matching fluid can be used to greatly reduce optical feedback and its associated low frequency noise, upon coupling into an optical fiber.

© 1980 Optical Society of America