Frequency and Amplitude Stable, High Power, 1.3 micrometer Microlaser

High power, frequency and amplitude stable compact laser sources at 1.3 AM are required by the Navy in the near future for advanced fiber optic sensor systems and other applications. Our novel approach to these requirements comprises a diode-pumped, high power, electro-optically tunable, single frequency monolithic microlaser. In such a device, the output frequency is tuned simply by applying a voltage to the laser. This is in contrast to slower frequency control techniques which use piezoelectric or pump power modulation. The anticipated performance of the monolithic device yields a source with a frequency-fast linewidth of less than 10 kHz; making it ideal for coherent communications. Microlaser technology combines this potential with compactness and low cost and represents a substantial improvement over current state-of-the- art non-planar lasers. The Phase I program includes the demonstration of two narrow linewidth, long term frequency stable microlasers. The frequency stability of the microlaser prototypes will be demonstrated by beat frequency tests between the two independently locked lasers.