Field-test of a robust, portable, frequency-stable laser

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Optical Engineering
• Metrology

Background:

• Frequency-stable lasers are essential for precision measurements.
• Operating lasers in non-laboratory environments presents significant challenges due to motion and vibration.
• Previous systems lacked the necessary stability for mobile applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a frequency-stable laser system operational within a passenger vehicle.
• To quantify and mitigate acceleration effects on laser frequency stability.
• To evaluate laser performance in both stationary and moving vehicle conditions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a frequency-stable laser system mounted on a passenger vehicle test platform.
• Measured acceleration along three orthogonal axes using integrated sensors.
• Implemented active feedback control to compensate for measured accelerations.
• Analyzed laser linewidth and acceleration sensitivity at 1 Hz.

Main Results:

• Achieved system acceleration sensitivities of 11(2) × 10(−12)/g, 6(2) × 10(−12)/g, and 4(1) × 10(−12)/g for orthogonal directions.
• Measured a laser linewidth of 1.7(1) Hz in a stationary vehicle with an idling engine.
• Evaluated laser performance under both static and dynamic driving conditions.

Conclusions:

• Active acceleration correction enables high-performance laser operation in a moving vehicle.
• The developed system demonstrates robust frequency stability suitable for non-laboratory environments.
• This technology paves the way for advanced mobile sensing and measurement applications.