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Review of Scientific Instruments

A moving-mirror frequency modulator for cold atom spectroscopy

Philip H. Jones, H. E. Saunders-Singer, S. Bergamini, D. R. Meacher

Published Jul 1, 2002• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

We have investigated the use of a moving or “Doppler” mirror to probe laser cooled atoms. The device uses the Doppler shift induced on reflection at a moving surface to modulate the frequency of a probing laser beam, with a modulation bandwidth and frequency resolution sufficient for the narrow spectral features typically encountered. We anticipate that the device could be a simple and cost-effective alternative to acousto-optic modulators for cold atom spectroscopy, and demonstrate its usefulness by performing stimulated optical Compton scattering on an optical molasses.

DOI
10.1063/1.1482154

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We have investigated the use of a moving or “Doppler” mirror to probe laser cooled atoms. The device uses the Doppler shift induced on reflection at a moving surface to modulate the frequency of a probing laser beam, with a modulation bandwidth and frequency resolution sufficient for the narrow spectral features typically encountered. We anticipate that the device could be a simple and cost-effective alternative to acousto-optic modulators for cold atom spectroscopy, and demonstrate its usefulness by performing stimulated optical Compton scattering on an optical molasses.
Abstract In optical systems, acousto-optic modulators (AOMs) and electro-optic modulators (EOMs) are commonly utilized for laser frequency manipulation. However, these devices come with drawbacks such as high cost and the requirement of optical adjustments to change the frequency shift direction. In this study, we propose an alternative method that harnesses the Zeeman effect in the saturated-absorption spectroscopy to shift the energy levels in atom. With this technique, the laser frequency can be shifted without the need for AOMs or EOMs. The stability of laser locking was investigated for any case of polarization of probe and pump beam. We found when the polarization of the probe and pump beams is linear and perpendicular, it results in the highest level of stability in laser locking compared to other polarization configurations.
We propose and demonstrate a radio-frequency atomic magnetometer with sub-Doppler laser cooled rubidium-87. With a simple and compact design, our system demonstrates a sensitivity of 330 pT/Hz in an unshielded environment, thus matching or surpassing previously reported cold atom designs. By merging the multiple uses and the robustness of radio-frequency atomic magnetometers with the detailed control of laser cooling, our cold atom radio-frequency magnetometer has potential for moving applications of atomic magnetometry to high spatial resolutions. A direct impact in metrology for applied sciences, materials characterization, and nanotechnology can be anticipated.
Selective reflection spectroscopy at normal incidence provides signals with sub-Doppler resolution, linear with optical intensity. Frequency modulated (FM) selective reflection probes atomic vapours at distances comparable to the excitation wavelength (~λ/2π) and is used extensively to probe the Casimir-Polder interactions between an excited state atom and a macroscopic surface. Extending selective reflection spectroscopy to molecular gases allows probing a thin layer of molecular gas next to a surface. This is a very attractive prospect that allows envisaging high-resolution molecular spectroscopy and molecular frequency references in a compact and miniaturised apparatus, such as a thin cell [1] or a photonic crystal [2]. Additionally, it paves the way for spectroscopic probing of the Casimir-Polder interaction with molecules. The molecule-surface interaction has been the object of extensive theoretical investigations, focusing on the effects of molecular orientation and chirality. However, experimental tests are few and comparison with theoretical predictions has been challenging [3].
A sub-MHz frequency stability of the laser is crucial in the quantum-atom experiment where precise atomic transition is required for control and manipulation of atom like in the atom quantum computing. In this work, we have built the frequency stabilization system for the lasers used in our cold Rubidium atom experiment in the magneto-optical trap (MOT) and the optical tweezers. We utilized a Rubidium vapour glass cell as a frequency reference, which provides atomically absolute reference point with low complexity setup. By mean of the absorption of the laser beam by the Rubidium vapour, the Doppler-free saturated absorption (DFSA) experiment was setup to produce the D2 line spectra. The acousto-optic modulator (AOM) was used to sinusoidally dither the laser frequency and consequently the resonance peaks in the spectra. Detailing in this work, the AOM sinusoidal dithering and the dithered DFSA signal had orthogonality and were processed together to produce the error signal used to stabilize the laser frequency to the resonant peak. This frequency stabilization system achieved the frequency standard deviation below 0.75 MHz over 200 minutes period. The system also allowed for stabilized frequency tunability over a range of 55-60 MHz about the target resonance peak. This performance is significant for stabilizing the lasers in the MOT experiment and related quantum-atom research.
Up to now, Doppler-free nonlinear spectroscopy has been applied to atoms inside a gas medium (volume spectroscopy). We have extended these methods to atoms in the vicinity of a surface. The basic principle consists of monitoring reflectivity changes produced when a laser beam, incident on a glass–vapor interface, is brought into resonance with an atomic transition. For Doppler-free spectroscopy, two counterpropagating beams are used to operate velocity selection. If these two beams are under normal incidence in the glass—velocity selection perpendicular to the surface—one observes saturated dispersion (selective reflection sensitive to the real index). For incidence angles in the glass (prism) larger than the critical angle (total internal reflection), a standing evanescent wave is produced in the gas (velocity selection along the surface), and saturated absorption is detected. Experimental demonstration was performed on the Na resonance line; high sensitivity (10−4 relative reflectivity change) and spectral resolution as good as 20 MHz were obtained. The main limitation to better resolution comes from the short atomic transit time in the evanescent wave (typical extension ~λ). Relevant applications of these techniques should also concern the diagnostics of optically thick media, as analysis of interaction between gas-phase atoms and the surface, notably atom–wall collisions, and modification of the spontaneous emission characteristics.
We describe our use of recoil-induced resonances or stimulated optical Compton scattering to measure the velocity distribution of laser-cooled cesium atoms in one dimension. The technique works well at velocities near 1 cm/s, is insensitive to the effects of light shifts or stray fields, requires only a few mm3{\mathrm{mm}}^{3}mm3 of work space, and may be completed in 1 ms. It may be extended to allow the measurement of velocity distributions in three dimensions and for in situ measurements in optical molasses, traps, or lattices. Our measurements are compared with traditional ballistic measurements in the same apparatus.