Title :
A new technique of optical ranging by a frequency-shifted feedback laser
Author :
Nakamura, Koichiro ; Miyahara, Toshiharu ; Yoshida, Masato ; Hara, Takefumi ; Ito, Hiromasa
Author_Institution :
Res. Inst. of Electr. Commun., Tohoku Univ., Sendai, Japan
Abstract :
We report an application of the frequency-shifted feedback (FSF) laser to optical ranging. The FSF laser output consists of periodically generated chirped frequency components whose chirp rate is faster than 100 PHz/s (P=10/sup 15/). By taking advantage of the spectral features of the FSF laser, the conventional limits on operating range and spatial resolution are removed. In the experiment, a distance of 3.7 km was measured with a resolution of 9.4 mm.
Keywords :
chirp modulation; laser feedback; laser ranging; neodymium; optical modulation; solid lasers; 3.7 km; FSF laser output; YVO/sub 4/:Nd; chirp rate; frequency-shifted feedback laser; operating range; optical ranging; periodically generated chirped frequency components; spatial resolution; spectral features; Chirp; Fiber lasers; Frequency; Laser feedback; Optical feedback; Optical interferometry; Optical modulation; Optical sensors; Spatial resolution; State feedback;
Journal_Title :
Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE
