Stabilization of 3.3 and 5.1 μm lead-salt diode lasers by optical feedback

Abstract Optical stabilization of tunable lead-salt diode lasers (TDL) in the mid-infrared is presented for the first time. By introducing an external feedback mirror both the linewidth is substantially narrowed and the frequency of the TDL is stabilized and controlled via this mirror in a frequency-offset locked scheme. We achieved narrowing of the linewidth by 1–2 orders of magnitude or better. The TDL is offset-locked to a CO gas laser by a heterodyne technique: the beatnote between the two lasers is used to control the length of the external resonator. By this scheme we gain the capability of absolute frequency measurements with sub-Doppler accuracy. The improved spectral properties of the diode laser provide a new tool for high-resolution molecular spectroscopy in the mid-infrared.