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Laser frequency stabilization using a commercial wavelength meter
Luc Couturier1, Ingo Nosske1, Fachao Hu1
1Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Shanghai Branch, University of Science and Technology of China, Shanghai 201315, China.
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|May 3, 2018
Summary
A new laser frequency stabilization scheme using a solid Fizeau interferometer wavelength meter achieves high stability for cooling and trapping strontium atoms. This method offers precise laser control for atomic physics applications.
Area of Science:
- Atomic, Molecular, and Optical (AMO) Physics
- Laser Physics and Spectroscopy
Background:
- Precise laser frequency control is crucial for atomic spectroscopy, cooling, and trapping.
- Existing methods may have limitations in stability, accuracy, or operational complexity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize a laser frequency stabilization scheme utilizing a novel wavelength meter.
- To assess the performance of the stabilization scheme for cooling and trapping strontium atoms.
Main Methods:
- Characterization of a wavelength meter based on solid Fizeau interferometers.
- Implementation of a frequency stabilization loop for a frequency-doubled Ti-sapphire laser at 461 nm.
- Evaluation of single-channel and multi-channel operation using a fiber switch.
Main Results:
- Achieved an absolute Allan deviation below 10-9 with a 1 MHz standard deviation over 10 hours for the stabilized laser.
- Demonstrated excellent stability in single-channel operation for cooling and trapping strontium atoms.
- Observed correlations between atomic fluorescence fluctuations and laser frequency excursions in multi-channel operation.
Conclusions:
- The Fizeau interferometer-based wavelength meter provides a robust scheme for laser frequency stabilization.
- The scheme is effective for laser cooling and trapping of strontium atoms.
- Potential applications extend to various atomic and molecular laser spectroscopy, cooling, and trapping experiments.
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