Radio frequency modulation of semiconductor laser as an improvement method of noise performance of scanning probe microscopy position sensitive detectors

• Autorzy: Skwierczyński J. M. , Maloziec G. , Kopiec D. , Nieradka K. , Radojewski J. , Gotszalk T. P.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

An experimental investigation was made on use of radio frequency (RF) modulation of a semiconductor laser in order to improve the noise performance of the scanning probe micros-copy cantilever position sensitive detector. High resolution measurements of the cantilever displacement are limited by optical power intensity noise of the laser diode. In general, the intensity noise is formed by mode hopping or mode partition phenomena in the laser multimode and single mode regimes. Furthermore, the measurements are disturbed by an optical feedback, which is caused when light is scattered back into the laser cavity. In order to reduce the laser intensity noise and the optical feedback, we developed a precise laser automatic power control (APC) driver with RF modulation of the DC diode bias current. Our experiments showed that the spectral noise density of the developed scanning probe microscopy detection system was 3 times smaller than the noise density of the system without RF operating current modulation. In a low power operation, near the diode threshold current, the laser mode partition noise is dominating and it can be reduced by adjusting the modulation current frequency to 300 MHz. In this paper, the architecture of the designed system will be presented. We will also discuss the results of noise performance investigations of the scanning probe microscopy position sensitive detectors applied in precise surface measurements.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

intensity noise; mode hopping; mode partition; semiconductor laser; RF modulation

• Wydawca: Oficyna Wydawnicza Politechniki Wrocławskiej
• Czasopismo: Optica Applicata
• Rocznik: 2011
• Tom: Vol. 41, nr 2
• Strony: 323--331
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 6 poz.

Twórcy

autor

Skwierczyński J. M.

autor

Maloziec G.

autor

Kopiec D.

autor

Nieradka K.

autor

Radojewski J.

autor

Gotszalk T. P.

• Wrocław University of Technology, Faculty of Microsystem Electronics and Photonics, Janiszewskiego 11/17, 50-372 Wrocław, Poland

Bibliografia

• [1] GOTSZALK T.P., Systemy mikroskopii bliskich oddziaływań w badaniach mikro- i nanostruktur, Oficyna Wydawnicza Politechniki Wrocławskiej, 2004, pp. 22–97 (in Polish).
• [2] GRAY G., ROY R., Bistability and mode hopping in a semiconductor laser, Journal of the Optical Society of America B 8(3), 1991, pp. 632–638.
• [3] YAMADA M., HIGASHI T., Mechanism of the noise reduction method by superposition of high-frequency current for semiconductor injection lasers, IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics 27(3), 1991, pp. 380–388.
• [4] FUKUMA T., KIMURA M., KOBAYASHI K., MATSUSHIGE K., YAMADA H., Development of low noise cantilever deflection sensor for multienvironment frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy, Review of Scientific Instruments 76(5), 2005, p. 053704.
• [5] DOEV V.S., KOLEDOV V.V., KUKLIN A.YU., Mode-hopping noise reduction by rf modulation of the pump current of an injection semiconductor laser with an external cavity, Quantum Electronics 24(7), 1994, pp. 608–612.
• [6] FAKUMA T., JARVIS S.P., Development of liquid-environment frequency modulation atomic force microscope with low noise deflection sensor for cantilevers of various dimensions, Review of Scientific Instruments 77(4), 2006, p. 043701.