In a project with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), we have developed prototypes of 1.55 μm frequencystabilized lasers for space applications. These lasers can be used as metrology sources for internal calibration of spectrometers such as the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS). Our prototypes include a 1552 nm DFB laser frequency-locked to H13CN using external phase modulation. The prototypes feature high quality characteristics such as CW output power of 8 mW and a narrow linewidth of 1.5 MHz. The frequency of the laser is known to a few ppm. The frequency stability levels at 10-10 between 30 and 10 000 s. The relative intensity noise (RIN) falls from -100 to -140 dBc/Hz between 1 Hz and 10 kHz, and levels at -140 dBc/Hz between 10 kHz and 1 MHz. Further improvement to reduce the linewidth to a few kHz can be provided using an all-fiber interferometer and correction of the laser injection current accordingly.
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