1 February 2017

DenseLight expands narrow-linewidth laser range for test & measurement applications

At the Photonics West 2017 in San Francisco (31 January to 2 February), DenseLight Semiconductors (a subsidiary of POET Technologies Inc of San Jose, CA, USA that makes lasers for optical sensing applications) has unveiled its next-generation Constellation Series of narrow-linewidth laser (NLWL) solutions for test & measurement applications. Introduced specifically to meet superior relative intensity noise (RIN) performance and ultra-narrow linewidths requirements, the new product family simplifies the overall design process for OEMs while shortening development time and accelerating time-to-market, claims the firm.

Designed specifically to provide low-noise capability with narrow linewidths (increasingly a requirement for optical sensing solutions spanning a number of end-market applications), the Constellation Series integrated light modules [CBF Series] offers narrow spectral linewidths (e.g. 10, 5 and 1kHz), excellent side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR), power stability and a very high wavelength stable laser output, claims the firm. These feature sets suit a wide range of high-precision remote sensing system applications, including wind-farm LIDAR; meteorological atmospheric LIDAR; distributed acoustic sensing (DAS); perimeter intrusion detection systems (PIDS); distributed strain and temperature sensing using Brillouin optical time domain reflectometry (BOTDR); precision optical metrology & instrumentation; and high-resolution optical gas & chemical sensing.

"Our newest family of laser products delivers the most reliable laser performance with the lowest noise output," claims DenseLight's senior VP of sales & marketing Bryan Patmon. "We are greatly simplifying the process for customers to create and implement integrated systems and solutions with advanced capabilities."

The first Constellation Series product (CBF-9) is complete with a proprietary specialty laser module fixed into a newly designed hermetically sealed butterfly package, as well as an integrated laser driver and temperature controller. Premiering with a C-band laser, the CBF series will eventually be extended across a wide wavelength range, including the O, E, S, C and L bands. The new CBF platform can be customized for multiple use and application options to meet customers' specific requirements.

Engineering samples are expected to be available in second-quarter 2017, with production beginning in second-half 2017.

A new family of derivative gain chips

DenseLight has also expanded its product portfolio of gain chips, based on proprietary indium phosphide (InP) active waveguide designs to provide high optical gain over a broad wavelength range and near-circular optical far-field profile. Gain chips are typically integrated in external cavity laser (ECL) systems as the laser gain source. The gain chip is delivered as chip or chip-on-submount, with high-reflectivity (HR) coating on the back facet and low-reflectivity anti-reflecting (AR) coating on the angled front facet. DenseLight says that its gain chip family will feature very stable operational characteristics as well as superior tuning capabilities. The gain chip product portfolio will offer ASE optical peak wavelength coverage spanning 1260-1650nm.