FPGAs Boost Signal Characterization by Eliminating the Unnecessary

Characterizing beams with different spatial profiles may sound like a breeze, but it’s anything but. Usually, this is done by constantly exciting a particular recurring resonance state using various tools and hardware, including oscilloscopes and laser lock boxes. Those platforms aren’t really efficient and often require repetitive and time-consuming tasks.

To get around those issues, engineers have eliminated the need for complex tools and turned to FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), which feature powerful ICs designed to be programmed for any number of applications. To that end, engineers are coupling those FPGAs with the Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) locking technique that stabilizes the frequency of light emitted by a laser by locking to a stable cavity. Of course, there’s more to it than just using a single piece of hardware and a technique only an engineer could love.