Five-year frequency stability of a Zeeman stabilized laser

Area of Science:

• Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
• Metrology and Measurement Science

Background:

• Zeeman stabilized lasers are crucial for precise frequency standards.
• Understanding laser frequency drift is essential for maintaining accuracy in metrology.
• Intermittent operation can influence initial laser performance and stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the long-term frequency drift of Zeeman stabilized lasers.
• To quantify drift rates after an initial period of operation.
• To assess the impact of temperature corrections on frequency drift measurements.

Main Methods:

• Monitoring the lockpoint frequency of two Zeeman stabilized lasers over five years.
• Calculating drift rates for different operational periods.
• Applying empirical temperature corrections to frequency measurements.

Main Results:

• The primary Zeeman laser showed an initial drift of 5.7 +/- 2.2 MHz/yr, decreasing to 0.3 +/- 0.5 MHz/yr.
• A second laser exhibited drift rates of -0.8 +/- 1.0 MHz/yr and -0.2 +/- 0.6 MHz/yr over different periods.
• Temperature corrections slightly reduced data variance but did not bias drift estimates.

Conclusions:

• Zeeman stabilized lasers demonstrate a significant reduction in frequency drift over time.
• Long-term operation leads to improved laser stability, suitable for frequency standards.
• Temperature corrections have a minimal effect on the overall drift estimation accuracy.