Abstract:
The intensity noise of a laser source represents one of the key factors limiting the ultimate sensitivity in laser-based systems for sensing and telecommunication. For advanced applications based on interferometry, the availability of a shot-noise-limited local oscillator is even more important for the effective feasibility of high-precision measurements. This is particularly crucial in quantum optics applications based on homodyne detection schemes to measure non-classical light states, such as squeezed states. This work deeply investigates and analyzes the intensity noise features of the most widely used mid-infrared semiconductor heterostructured lasers: quantum cascade and interband cascade lasers. For this purpose, a comprehensive comparison of three different continuous-wave lasers operating at room temperature around 4.5 µm wavelength is presented. First, a thorough electro-optical characterization is given, highlighting the differences and the shared common characteristics of the tested devices. Then, a detailed intensity noise analysis is reported, identifying their different noise operations with a particular reference to shot-noise-limited operations. Finally, some perspectives towards advanced applications are discussed.
Authors: B. Kaczmarczuk, J. Gomes Baptista, S. Merlet, L. A. Sidorenkov, Q. Beaufils and F. Pereira Dos Santos
Publication location: Optics Express
Date of publication: 25 August 2025
D.O.I: https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.549282
How to cite this article: Tecla Gabbrielli, Jacopo Pelini, Georg Marschick, Luigi Consolino, Irene La Penna, Jérôme Faist, Mathieu Bertrand, Filippos Kapsalidis, Robert Weih, Sven Höfling, Naota Akikusa, Borislav Hinkov, Paolo De Natale, Francesco Cappelli, and Simone Borri, “Shot-noise-limited emission from interband and quantum cascade lasers,” Opt. Express 33, 35620-35634 (2025)
