Piezo-locking a diode laser with saturated absorption spectroscopy

Journal Article · Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2008 · Applied Optics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.47.005163· OSTI ID:21175619

Debs, J E; Robins, N P; Lance, A; Kruger, M B; Close, J D

We demonstrate modulation-based frequency locking of an external cavity diode laser, utilizing a piezo-electrically actuated mirror, external to the laser cavity, to create an error signal from saturated absorption spectroscopy. With this method, a laser stabilized to a rubidium hyperfine transition has a FWHM of 130 kHz over seconds, making the locked laser suitable for experiments in atomic physics, such as creating and manipulating Bose-Einstein condensates. This technique combines the advantages of low-amplitude modulation, simplicity, performance, and price, factors that are usually considered to be mutually exclusive.

• OSTI ID: 21175619
• Journal Information: Applied Optics, Vol. 47, Issue 28; Other Information: DOI: 10.1364/AO.47.005163; (c) 2008 Optical Society of America; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6935
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
AMPLITUDES
ATOMIC PHYSICS
BOSE-EINSTEIN CONDENSATION
LASER CAVITIES
LASERS
MIRRORS
RUBIDIUM