Abstract

Lasers with submegahertz linewidths have importance in various applications, such as in coherent optical communications, interferometric sensors, and resonant-optical gyroscopes. For several years our laboratory has investigated a hybrid Bragg reflector laser with typical linewidths of less than 1 MHz and a narrowest linewidth of 100 kHz. The narrow line results from operating the laser at the steeply rising edge of the Bragg reflection. Understanding this mechanism led to the development¹ of resonant-optical reflectors (RORs), integrated-optical elements capable of providing feedback with a reflection spectrum even sharper than previously obtained. We report hybrid ROR laser linewidths as narrow as 7.1 kHz.

© 1990 Optical Society of America