Optical clock transitions are exceptionally accurate measurement tools, essential for various applications like precise timekeeping, testing fundamental physics constants, and performing quantum simulations of many-body physics. Addressing these transitions requires stable and well-controlled laser systems. This thesis presents the development of such a laser system, specially designed to address the strontium clock transition for quantum simulations. The work involves the design and construction of an optical setup for coupling an external-cavity diode laser of wavelength 698 nm into a Fabry-Pérot cavity and the application of the Pound-Drever Hall locking technique for frequency stabilization. The work also addresses the implementation of a vibrational isolation stage to mitigate external vibrations on the cavity and an isolation box for acoustic and thermal stability. By integrating advanced optical and electronic methods, the precision and stability of the clock laser are significantly improved.Optical clock transitions are exceptionally accurate measurement tools, essential for various applications like precise timekeeping, testing fundamental physics constants, and performing quantum simulations of many-body physics. Addressing these transitions requires stable and well-controlled laser systems. This thesis presents the development of such a laser system, specially designed to address the strontium clock transition for quantum simulations. The work involves the design and construction of an optical setup for coupling an external-cavity diode laser of wavelength 698 nm into a Fabry-Pérot cavity and the application of the Pound-Drever Hall locking technique for frequency stabilization. The work also addresses the implementation of a vibrational isolation stage to mitigate external vibrations on the cavity and an isolation box for acoustic and thermal stability. By integrating advanced optical and electronic methods, the precision and stability of the clock laser are significantly improved.

Sep 9, 20240 citations

Application of Squeezed-State Light to Laser Stabilization

Carlton M. Caves

Springer series in optical sciences/SPringer series in optical sciencesJan 1, 19871 citation

Experimental Studies in Quantum Optics using Diode Lasers

Sumanta Khan

Oct 20, 20201 citation

Using a Passive Fiber Ring Cavity to Generate Shot-Noise-Limited Laser Light for Low-Power Quantum Optics Applications

Malcolm B. Gray, J. H. Chow, Kirk McKenzie +1 more

High-stability single-frequency fiber lasers typically exhibit relative intensity noise that is far in excess of shot noise across a broad frequency range extending from dc to many tens of megahertz. This excess noise precludes the use of these fiber lasers in a range of precision interferometry and quantum optics applications. We present experimental results using a passive, highQ, fiber ring resonator to filter out up to 26 dB of excess laser intensity noise, resulting in a stabilized laser output that reaches the shot-noise limit over most of its signal spectrum.High-stability single-frequency fiber lasers typically exhibit relative intensity noise that is far in excess of shot noise across a broad frequency range extending from dc to many tens of megahertz. This excess noise precludes the use of these fiber lasers in a range of precision interferometry and quantum optics applications. We present experimental results using a passive, highQ, fiber ring resonator to filter out up to 26 dB of excess laser intensity noise, resulting in a stabilized laser output that reaches the shot-noise limit over most of its signal spectrum.

IEEE Photonics Technology LettersJun 28, 20078 citations

Enhanced absorption in Doppler-free spectroscopy of the Rb atom D 1 line with monochromatic light: Application to laser-frequency stabilization

Peter Yun, Rodolphe Boudot, Qiang Hao +1 more

The detection of narrow and high-amplitude optical resonances in atomic cells is of crucial importance for the development of compact and high-stability lasers or vapor-cell optical references. In this work, using monochromatic light and appropriate polarization settings for the counterpropagating pump and probe beams, we demonstrate the detection of enhanced-absorption sub-Doppler resonances on the ${D}_{1}$ line of the $\mathrm{Rb}$ atom. We report a theoretical model showing that the Zeeman coherence induced between magnetic sublevels---especially in the $F\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{F}^{\ensuremath{'}}=F\ensuremath{-}1$ systems, with $F$ and ${F}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ being the hyperfine quantum numbers of the ground and excited states, respectively---plays a key role in the observed enhanced-absorption process. The theoretically predicted behavior matches the experimental observations well. The impact of light polarization, laser intensity, magnetic field, and cell temperature on the Doppler-free resonance features is experimentally investigated. For application, two identical diode lasers are frequency-stabilized onto enhanced-absorption sub-Doppler resonances. The fractional frequency stability of the laser beatnote is measured to be $1.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}12}$ at $1\phantom{\rule{0.1em}{0ex}}\mathrm{s}$ and $8.4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}12}$ at ${10}^{4}\phantom{\rule{0.1em}{0ex}}\mathrm{s}$ . These results demonstrate the potential of this scheme for the implementation of a compact or even chip-scale optical frequency reference, which might find applications in instrumentation, navigation, and metrology.The detection of narrow and high-amplitude optical resonances in atomic cells is of crucial importance for the development of compact and high-stability lasers or vapor-cell optical references. In this work, using monochromatic light and appropriate polarization settings for the counterpropagating pump and probe beams, we demonstrate the detection of enhanced-absorption sub-Doppler resonances on the ${D}_{1}$ line of the $\mathrm{Rb}$ atom. We report a theoretical model showing that the Zeeman coherence induced between magnetic sublevels---especially in the $F\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{F}^{\ensuremath{'}}=F\ensuremath{-}1$ systems, with $F$ and ${F}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ being the hyperfine quantum numbers of the ground and excited states, respectively---plays a key role in the observed enhanced-absorption process. The theoretically predicted behavior matches the experimental observations well. The impact of light polarization, laser intensity, magnetic field, and cell temperature on the Doppler-free resonance features is experimentally investigated. For application, two identical diode lasers are frequency-stabilized onto enhanced-absorption sub-Doppler resonances. The fractional frequency stability of the laser beatnote is measured to be $1.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}12}$ at $1\phantom{\rule{0.1em}{0ex}}\mathrm{s}$ and $8.4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}12}$ at ${10}^{4}\phantom{\rule{0.1em}{0ex}}\mathrm{s}$. These results demonstrate the potential of this scheme for the implementation of a compact or even chip-scale optical frequency reference, which might find applications in instrumentation, navigation, and metrology.

Physical Review AppliedMar 25, 20254 citations

{D}_{1}

line of the

\mathrm{Rb}

atom. We report a theoretical model showing that the Zeeman coherence induced between magnetic sublevels---especially in the $F\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{F}^{\ensuremath{'}}=F\ensuremath{-}1$ systems, with

F

and ${F}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ being the hyperfine quantum numbers of the ground and excited states, respectively---plays a key role in the observed enhanced-absorption process. The theoretically predicted behavior matches the experimental observations well. The impact of light polarization, laser intensity, magnetic field, and cell temperature on the Doppler-free resonance features is experimentally investigated. For application, two identical diode lasers are frequency-stabilized onto enhanced-absorption sub-Doppler resonances. The fractional frequency stability of the laser beatnote is measured to be $1.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}12}$ at

1\phantom{\rule{0.1em}{0ex}}\mathrm{s}

and $8.4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}12}$ at

{10}^{4}\phantom{\rule{0.1em}{0ex}}\mathrm{s}

. These results demonstrate the potential of this scheme for the implementation of a compact or even chip-scale optical frequency reference, which might find applications in instrumentation, navigation, and metrology.