Vibration modes of a transportable optical cavity

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Optical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

Background:

• Understanding optical cavity vibration is critical for developing transportable ultra-stable lasers.
• Existing designs require further evaluation of physical mechanisms influencing cavity vibration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To perform a detailed dynamic analysis of a transportable optical cavity's vibration modes.
• To propose guidelines for achieving a high first-order resonance frequency and enhance robustness.

Main Methods:

• Detailed dynamic analysis to characterize vibration modes.
• Optimization strategy for cavity support design.
• Theoretical calculations validated by simulation and experiment.

Main Results:

• Identified the first five resonance modes of the optical cavity with support.
• Achieved a first-order resonance frequency of 681 Hz for a 50 mm cavity (2.51 kg).
• Established a 1.34 Hz linewidth transportable ultra-stable laser, demonstrating robustness after extensive transportation tests.

Conclusions:

• The proposed optimization strategy significantly improves optical cavity robustness against vibration.
• The method is applicable to various transportable optical cavities, crucial for field applications.
• Demonstrated a stable laser performance after simulated long-distance transportation and continuous vibration.