© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

Terms Privacy Legal Notice

Japanese Journal of Applied Physics

Development of Phase-lock System between Two Single-Mode Lasers for Optical-Optical Double Resonance Spectroscopy

Motohiro Kumagai, Hideto Kanamori, Michio M. Matsushita, Tatsuhisa Kato

Published Oct 1, 1999• 6 citations

Abstract

The difference frequency between two single-mode CW lasers was stabilized to a microwave (MW) frequency reference by using an optical phase-lock loop (PLL). The long-term frequency jittering of the beat spectrum was much suppressed by this method. The difference frequency was able to be continuously scanned from 0.1 to 18 GHz by changing the microwave reference frequency. It was also possible to scan the two lasers synchronously keeping the difference frequency constant. This stable and flexible light source would be an ideal light source for optical-optical double resonance (OODR) spectroscopy and resonance laser Raman experiments. For the demonstration, this new system was applied to an OODR experiment using a Rubidium atom. The hyperfine structures in the D2line were observed in the sub-Doppler condition.

DOI: 10.1143/jjap.38.6102

Related papers

Experiment of Laser Phase Lock with Source Locking CW Microwave Frequency Counter

Jing Zhang

Technology of achieving stable laser frequency plays an important role in the application of high precision measurement and high fine spectrum.In this paper,we phase-locked a laser for 3 to 4 hours to the other laser by the signal of beat frequency between two lasers,based on the instrument:Source locking CW microwave frequency counter.This work enables us to investigate the electromagnetically induced transparency spectroscopy,Raman spectroscopy and four-wave-mixing in atomic system.

Journal of Shanxi University•Jan 1, 2012•0 citations

Production of a coherent pair of light beams with a microwave frequency difference from a single extended-cavity diode laser

Sin Hyuk Yim, D. Cho

We produced a pair of coherent laser beams with a 3-GHz frequency difference by optically phase locking two modes from a single, multimode extended-cavity diode laser. This method is complementary to either a direct modulation or an optical phase locking of two independent lasers. A large differential frequency shift between the two modes of the laser allows efficient phase locking. We developed a simple theory to account for the large differential frequency shift. Allan deviation of the beat frequency when the two modes are phase-locked drops as an inverse of the measurement time and it reaches 10(-14) when the time is 1 h. Coherent population trapping spectroscopy of Rb atoms using the phase-locked beams resulted in a spectrum as narrow as that of the case using direct modulation by a stable frequency synthesizer.

Review of Scientific Instruments•Feb 1, 2010•6 citations

Frequency stabilization of a GaAs semiconductor laser by use of the optical-optical double-resonance effect of the Doppler-free spectrum of Rb D/sub 1/ line

Masao Suzuki, S. Yamaguchi

The frequency of a GaAs semiconductor laser was locked to the hyperfine spectrum of the Rb D/sub 1/ line by saturation spectroscopy. A first GaAs laser was locked to one of the Doppler-free hyperfine lines using a source modulation method. The burnt hole modulated by the stabilized laser beam was detected by a second laser beam irradicated from the same or the opposite direction and was used as a frequency discriminator to stabilize the second laser. The characteristics of the double-resonance spectrum were measured. The frequency stability of the second laser, which was free from frequency modulation, was estimated to be on the order of 10/sup -9/.>

IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics•Dec 1, 1988•12 citations

Laser frequency offset locking using electromagnetically induced transparency

S. C. Bell, D. Heywood, J. D. White +2 more

The authors have used an electromagnetically induced transparency resonance in rubidium as a dispersive reference to lock the relative frequency of two lasers to the atomic ground-state hyperfine splitting. The beat frequency between the two lasers directly generates a microwave signal at 3.036GHz (Rb85) or 6.835GHz (Rb87). High bandwidth (600kHz) feedback was achieved with only low-frequency (10MHz) electronics using the frequency modulation sideband method. The spectral width of the microwave beat frequency was reduced to less than 1kHz. The technique offers a convenient and low-cost method suitable for many topical two-frequency experiments, including coherent population trapping, slow light, lasing without inversion, and Raman sideband cooling.

Applied Physics Letters•Apr 23, 2007•63 citations

Precise optical heterodyne beat frequency from laser diodes locked to atomic resonances

Bernard Villeneuve, Normand Cyr, M. Têtu

Semiconductor lasers locked to atomic resonances provide precise optical frequencies with very good long-term stability. This property can be used in coherent optical communications for obtaining a well defined IF frequency (or frequencies) at the receiver. The letter deals with the optical heterodyne detection of a precise 6.54 GHz frequency offset derived from the hyperfine structure of rubidium 87

Electronics Letters•Sep 24, 1987•8 citations

GHz-scale rapid frequency-hopping laser system for atom interferometry

Rui Han, Wei Li, Xiaobin Xu +4 more

We demonstrate a dual-laser architecture capable of GHz-scale rapid frequency hopping for atom interferometers (AIs). The system integrates two phase-locked fixed-external-cavity diode lasers: a reference laser stabilized to Rubidium 87 D 2 transition and a slave laser phase-locked to the reference via an optical phase-lock loop. This configuration achieves rapid frequency hopping of 1.1 GHz in 65 µs without unlock-and-relock process. Validated through Raman spectroscopy and optical depth measurements in a fiber-guided AI, the laser system provides a potential solution for developing miniaturized portable AIs.

Optics Letters•Apr 22, 2025•1 citation

The difference frequency between two single-mode CW lasers was stabilized to a microwave (MW) frequency reference by using an optical phase-lock loop (PLL). The long-term frequency jittering of the beat spectrum was much suppressed by this method. The difference frequency was able to be continuously scanned from 0.1 to 18 GHz by changing the microwave reference frequency. It was also possible to scan the two lasers synchronously keeping the difference frequency constant. This stable and flexible light source would be an ideal light source for optical-optical double resonance (OODR) spectroscopy and resonance laser Raman experiments. For the demonstration, this new system was applied to an OODR experiment using a Rubidium atom. The hyperfine structures in the D2line were observed in the sub-Doppler condition.

We produced a pair of coherent laser beams with a 3-GHz frequency difference by optically phase locking two modes from a single, multimode extended-cavity diode laser. This method is complementary to either a direct modulation or an optical phase locking of two independent lasers. A large differential frequency shift between the two modes of the laser allows efficient phase locking. We developed a simple theory to account for the large differential frequency shift. Allan deviation of the beat frequency when the two modes are phase-locked drops as an inverse of the measurement time and it reaches 10(-14) when the time is 1 h. Coherent population trapping spectroscopy of Rb atoms using the phase-locked beams resulted in a spectrum as narrow as that of the case using direct modulation by a stable frequency synthesizer.

The frequency of a GaAs semiconductor laser was locked to the hyperfine spectrum of the Rb D/sub 1/ line by saturation spectroscopy. A first GaAs laser was locked to one of the Doppler-free hyperfine lines using a source modulation method. The burnt hole modulated by the stabilized laser beam was detected by a second laser beam irradicated from the same or the opposite direction and was used as a frequency discriminator to stabilize the second laser. The characteristics of the double-resonance spectrum were measured. The frequency stability of the second laser, which was free from frequency modulation, was estimated to be on the order of 10/sup -9/.>

The authors have used an electromagnetically induced transparency resonance in rubidium as a dispersive reference to lock the relative frequency of two lasers to the atomic ground-state hyperfine splitting. The beat frequency between the two lasers directly generates a microwave signal at 3.036GHz (Rb85) or 6.835GHz (Rb87). High bandwidth (600kHz) feedback was achieved with only low-frequency (10MHz) electronics using the frequency modulation sideband method. The spectral width of the microwave beat frequency was reduced to less than 1kHz. The technique offers a convenient and low-cost method suitable for many topical two-frequency experiments, including coherent population trapping, slow light, lasing without inversion, and Raman sideband cooling.

We demonstrate a dual-laser architecture capable of GHz-scale rapid frequency hopping for atom interferometers (AIs). The system integrates two phase-locked fixed-external-cavity diode lasers: a reference laser stabilized to Rubidium 87 D 2 transition and a slave laser phase-locked to the reference via an optical phase-lock loop. This configuration achieves rapid frequency hopping of 1.1 GHz in 65 µs without unlock-and-relock process. Validated through Raman spectroscopy and optical depth measurements in a fiber-guided AI, the laser system provides a potential solution for developing miniaturized portable AIs.