Abstract
We have developed an inertially sensitive optomechanical laser by combining a vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) with a monolithic fused silica resonator. By placing the external cavity mirror of the VECSEL onto the optomechanical resonator test mass, we create a sensor where external accelerations are directly transcribed onto the lasing frequency. We developed a proof-of-principle laboratory prototype and observe test mass oscillations at the resonance frequency of the sensor through the VECSEL lasing frequency, 4.18 ± 0.03 Hz. In addition, we set up an ancillary heterodyne interferometer to track the motion of the mechanical oscillator’s test mass, observing a resonance of 4.194 ± 0.004 Hz. The interferometer measurements validate the VECSEL results, confirming the feasibility of using optomechanical lasers for inertial sensing.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | B87-B92 |
Journal | Journal of the Optical Society of America A: Optics and Image Science, and Vision |
Volume | 37 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2020 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
- Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition