A compact laser head with high-frequency stability for Rb atomic clocks and optical instrumentation

Journal Article · Fri Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 2005 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1979493· OSTI ID:20722952

Affolderbach, Christoph; Mileti, Gaetano ^[1]

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1. Observatoire de Neuchatel, Rue de l'Observatoire 58, 2000 Neuchatel (Switzerland)

We present a compact and frequency-stabilized laser head based on an extended-cavity diode laser. The laser head occupies a volume of 200 cm{sup 3} and includes frequency stabilization to Doppler-free saturated absorption resonances on the hyperfine components of the {sup 87}Rb D{sub 2} lines at 780 nm, obtained from a simple and compact spectroscopic setup using a 2 cm{sup 3} vapor cell. The measured frequency stability is {<=}2x10{sup -12} over integration times from 1 s to 1 day and shows the potential to reach 2x10{sup -13} over 10{sup 2}-10{sup 5} s. Compact laser sources with these performances are of great interest for applications in gas-cell atomic frequency standards, atomic magnetometers, interferometers and other instruments requiring stable and narrow-band optical sources.

• OSTI ID: 20722952
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Journal Name: Review of Scientific Instruments Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 76; ISSN 0034-6748; ISSN RSINAK
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ABSORPTION
ATOMIC CLOCKS
HYPERFINE STRUCTURE
INTERFEROMETERS
LASER CAVITIES
MAGNETOMETERS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
OPTICAL PUMPING
PERFORMANCE
RUBIDIUM
RUBIDIUM 87
SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS
STABILITY