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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Construction and Characterization of External Cavity Diode Lasers for Atomic Physics
09:10

Construction and Characterization of External Cavity Diode Lasers for Atomic Physics

Published on: April 24, 2014

External-cavity diode laser using a grazing-incidence diffraction grating.

K C Harvey, C J Myatt

    Optics Letters
    |September 25, 2009
    PubMed
    Summary
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    A new external cavity design enhances diode lasers for spectroscopy and atomic cooling. This system achieves a wider tuning range and significantly narrower linewidths for advanced applications.

    Area of Science:

    • Optics and Photonics
    • Laser Physics

    Background:

    • Commercial diode lasers offer broad utility but often lack narrow linewidths and wide tunability.
    • Existing external cavity diode laser (ECDL) systems can be complex or limited in performance.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To develop an external cavity system for commercial diode lasers that enhances wavelength tunability and spectral purity.
    • To demonstrate a cost-effective and convenient method for improving diode laser performance.

    Main Methods:

    • An external cavity was designed incorporating a diffraction grating at grazing incidence.
    • This grating was used for both wavelength selection and output coupling.
    • The system was tested with a Gallium Aluminum Arsenide (GaAlAs) diode laser.

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    Resonance Fluorescence of an InGaAs Quantum Dot in a Planar Cavity Using Orthogonal Excitation and Detection
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    Resonance Fluorescence of an InGaAs Quantum Dot in a Planar Cavity Using Orthogonal Excitation and Detection

    Published on: October 13, 2017

    20 mJ, 1 ps Yb:YAG Thin-disk Regenerative Amplifier
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    20 mJ, 1 ps Yb:YAG Thin-disk Regenerative Amplifier

    Published on: July 12, 2017

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    Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

    Construction and Characterization of External Cavity Diode Lasers for Atomic Physics
    09:10

    Construction and Characterization of External Cavity Diode Lasers for Atomic Physics

    Published on: April 24, 2014

    Resonance Fluorescence of an InGaAs Quantum Dot in a Planar Cavity Using Orthogonal Excitation and Detection
    12:57

    Resonance Fluorescence of an InGaAs Quantum Dot in a Planar Cavity Using Orthogonal Excitation and Detection

    Published on: October 13, 2017

    20 mJ, 1 ps Yb:YAG Thin-disk Regenerative Amplifier
    10:17

    20 mJ, 1 ps Yb:YAG Thin-disk Regenerative Amplifier

    Published on: July 12, 2017

    Main Results:

    • The external cavity enabled tuning over a range greater than 20 nm.
    • The laser linewidth was reduced by over 1000 times, from 40 MHz to less than 10 kHz.
    • Convenient wavelength tuning was achieved.

    Conclusions:

    • The developed external cavity system significantly improves diode laser performance.
    • This enhanced laser system is suitable for demanding applications like high-resolution spectroscopy and atomic physics.
    • Potential applications include time standards and coherent optical communications.