The semiconductor lasers in use today are on one hand, prized, and highly praised, for their small size, light weight, longevity and energy-efficiency, -and on the other, criticized for their susceptibility to frequency-fluctuations brought about by changes in temperature and driving current. Once this "wrinkle" is ironed out, semiconductor lasers will become the default light-sources, for satellites' onboard interferometers. Our studies have been directed at stabilizing oscillation frequency to the atomic absorption line, and using negative electrical feedback to the injection current. Frequency stabilization is accomplished, by either; a) applying direct modulation to the semiconductor laser's driving current, or b) modulating the reference frequency, to obtain the error signal needed for stabilization. In this instance, Faraday effect-based stabilization was used. This indirect oscillation frequency stabilization has no discernable effect on spectra width, but, stability was no better than that observed in the system using the direct modulation.
When we compared Faraday effect-and direct modulation-based methods of stabilization, in order to uncover the root-cause of the discrepancy, sensors picked up system noise, the source of which was heat generated by the heavy current applied to a magnetic coil used to apply the Faraday effect. We also substituted a permanent magnet for the electromagnet.