Access Laser

An Optoelectronic Closed-Loop Control System for RF Amplifiers

This student team worked to design and implement a closed-loop control system that detects presence of an optical signal and monitors Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) during the plasma initiation inside a laser. The generated control signals were intended to be used to appropriately control the Radio Frequency (RF) Amplifier driving the laser. The team worked to create a system control, including an optical detector module and a in-line VSWR detector module. Through this project, students set out to learn about RF circuits, PCB design, electronic component selection, design for EMC, and design for manufacturability among other topics.