Use of a Microcontroller for Fast Feedback Control of a Fiber Laser

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a cost-effective microcontroller-based system for rapid frequency stabilization of an infrared fiber laser, achieving a bandwidth of 40-60 kHz with robust failure recovery features.

Contribution

It introduces a simple, inexpensive microcontroller approach for laser feedback control, simplifying implementation and improving reliability over traditional methods.

Findings

Achieved a Nyquist frequency of 200 kHz.

Bandwidth of 40-60 kHz for laser stabilization.

Included failure recovery features for system robustness.

Abstract

An inexpensive, easily programmed microcontroller is demonstrated for the fast frequency stabilization of an infrared fiber laser. The microcontroller manages all digitalization and processing, with external circuitry only providing buffering, amplification and overvoltage protection. Several convenient features are included to recover from common failure modes of a laser lock system, and a final Nyquist frequency of 200 kHz is obtained, corresponding to a usable bandwidth of 40-60 kHz.