High-Resolution Spectral Mapping of a Lensed High Power Laser Bar

摘要

Alkali gas lasers based on rubidium vapor have an extremely narrow absorption band (＜0.01 nm at STP) at 780 nm. Diode-pumped alkali lasers (DPALs) require high-power diode arrays having emission spectra which are closely matched to this absorption peak. There are several methods which can be used for narrowing and stabilizing the output spectrum of a diode laser bar including external locking via a volumetric holographic grating (VHG). While this approach offers several advantages over internal stabilization techniques, the effect of pointing error arising from bar smile can be detrimental to the locked performance of the lensed array. In order to investigate the effect of smile on wavelength locking, a system capable of mapping the emission spectrum of the lensed diode laser bar was developed. The approach utilizes an imaging system and spatial filter to couple light from individual emitters of the lensed array into a commercial optical spectrum analyzer. This approach offers a larger dynamic range than traditional spectral mapping techniques, with a resolved signal to noise ratio in excess of 60 dB. Results from the characterization of a VHG-locked 780 nm laser bar array will be presented.