Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Construction and Characterization of External Cavity Diode Lasers for Atomic Physics
Published on: April 24, 2014
Frequency stabilization of an external cavity diode laser to molecular iodine at 657.483 nm
Hui-Mei Fang1, Shing-Chung Wang, Jow-Tsong Shy
1Department of Photonics, Institute of Electro-Optical Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan. fhm590425@yahoo.com
Abstract:
The saturation spectrum of the P(84) 5-5 transition of 127I2 at 657.483 nm is obtained with the third-harmonic demodulation method using an external cavity diode laser. The laser frequency is modulated by modulating the diode current instead of modulating the cavity length with a piezoelectric transducer (PZT). Current modulation allows a modulation frequency that is higher than PZT modulation. The signal-to-noise ratio of 1000 is better than previous results presented in the literature. The laser is frequency stabilized to the hyperfine component o of the P(84) 5-5 transition with a frequency stability of better than 10 kHz (2.2 x 10(-11) relative stability).
Related Concept Videos
IR Absorption Frequency: Hybridization
Among the sp, sp2, and sp3 hybridized orbitals, sp orbitals have the maximum s character (50%). Consequently, the electrons are held more closely to the nucleus, resulting in stronger and shorter C–H bonds that stretch at a...
IR Spectroscopy: Molecular Vibration Overview
Stretching vibrations are vibrational motions that occur along the bond line, changing the bond length or distance between two bonded atoms. They are further distinguished as symmetric or asymmetric. In symmetric stretching, the...
UV–Vis Spectroscopy: Molecular Electronic Transitions
IR Absorption Frequency: Delocalization
In IR spectroscopy,...

