Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Joint Conference of the European Frequency and Time Forum and IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium (EFTF/IFCS)

Use of AOM-RN as a phase modulator in FM sideband heterodyne technique in the atomic frequency standards

V. N. Baryshev, V. M. Epikhin, Sergey N. Slyusarev

Published May 1, 2011• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

AOM-RN, an acousto-optic modulator designed to operate in the pure Raman-Nath diffraction regime, was applied as an optical phase modulator in FM spectroscopy of saturated absorption resonances, coherent population trapping resonances, sub-natural magneto-optical resonances in Cs vapor, i.e. such kind of optical resonances which are currently employed as the frequency references in metrology of the microwave and optical frequency standards and in magnetometry. We show experimentally that the spatial divergence of the AOM-RN frequency modulated output spectrum, the only seeming disadvantage of AOM-RN, is not an obstacle, as well, to obtain the error signals by means of Pound-Drever-Hall heterodyne technique with the use of high-finesse (up to tens of thousands) Fabry-Perot cavities as the frequency discriminators.

DOI
10.1109/fcs.2011.5977806

Related papers

Sub-megahertz laser stabilization by harnessing orthogonality between the acousto-optic modulator dither and atomic spectroscopy

Phatwarach Siriworakoonchai, Parinya Udommai, Nuttanan Tanasanchai +1 more

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.

Results in Optics•Oct 28, 2025•3 citations

Study of phase-sensitive heterodyne locking

Peng Yang, Xuezhi Ke, Lei Zhang +1 more

Traditional locking techniques, such as PDH (Pound-Drever-Hall), HC (Hansh-Couillaud), spatial mode interference technique, offset sideband locking technique, quantum noise locking, etc., have been widely applied to laser frequency stabilization and precision optical interferometry measurement. Here, a new technique, which we call phase-sensitive heterodyne locking (PSHL), is investigated by use of frequency-synthesized light to obtain a phase-sensitive high-frequency photoelectric readout to lock the phase of a squeezed light. Comparing with above techniques, there are several kinds of advantages for PSHL to be advocated. Frequency-synthesized light, which allows arbitrary control of the amplitudes and phases of the modulation sidebands relative to the carrier, is derived by the AOM (acousto-optic modulator), not the EOM (electro-optic modulator). Interferometic signals coming from a balanced heterodyne detector are high-frequency AC photoelectric current which can easily get rid of low-frequency classical noise and lead to reach or break through the shot noise limit. A theoretical derivation of the PSHL error signal and the associated stability of the squeezed and anti-squeezed lock points will be carried out in this work.

Tenth International Conference on Information Optics and Photonics•Nov 1, 2021•0 citations

Composite Raman-Nath heterodyne interferometry with relevance for precise spectroscopy

Matteo Barbiero, Juan Pablo Salvatierra, Davide Calonico +2 more

Atomic state manipulation by laser radiation requires a stringent control of the light phase noise for precise spectroscopy and quantum computation . In this work we describe a novel interferometer recently employed to estimate the phase noise induced by an optical frequency shifter based on serrodyne modulation for optical frequency standards (Barbiero et al., 2023). The interferometer is generated by an acousto-optic actuator working in the Raman-Nath regime. Using the heterodyne detection between the unshifted optical mode with the first higher order optical components , we are able to detect the differential phase between the two optical path arms with a reduction of the phase noise induced by the actuator. We provide a theoretical treatment for the actuator phase suppression and we estimate the detectable phase noise limit of this interferometer. Finally, we discuss the possible applications in the field of precision measurements.

Optics & Laser Technology•Aug 29, 2024•0 citations

Hyperfine spectroscopy using co-propagating pump-probe beams

Alok K. Singh, Sapam Ranjita Chanu, Dipankar Kaundilya +1 more

We have shown earlier that hyperfine spectroscopy in a vapor cell using co-propagating pump-probe beams has many advantages over the usual technique of saturated-absorption spectroscopy using counter-propagating beams. The main advantages are the absence of crossover resonances, the appearance of the signal on a flat (Doppler-free) background, and the higher signal-to-noise ratio of the primary peaks. Interaction with non-zero-velocity atoms causes additional peaks, but only one of them appears within the primary spectrum. We first illustrate the advantages of this technique for high-resolution spectroscopy by studying the $D_2$ line of Rb. We then use an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) for frequency calibration to make precise hyperfine-interval measurements in the first excited $P_{3/2}$ state of $^{85,87}$Rb and $^{133}$Cs.

arXiv:1008.5292•Aug 31, 2010•0 citations

Exploring Ramsey-coherent population trapping atomic clock realized with pulsed microwave modulated laser

Jing Yang, Yuan Tian, Bozhong Tan +2 more

A scheme for a Ramsey-coherent population trapping (CPT) atomic clock that eliminates the acousto-optic modulator (AOM) is proposed and experimentally studied. Driven by a periodically microwave modulated current, the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser emits a continuous beam that switches between monochromatic and multichromatic modes. Ramsey-CPT interference has been studied with this mode-switching beam. In eliminating the AOM, which is used to generate pulsed laser in conventional Ramsey-CPT atomic clock, the physics package of the proposed scheme is virtually the same as that of a conventional compact CPT atomic clock, although the resource budget for the electronics will slightly increase as a microwave switch should be added. By evaluating and comparing experimentally recorded signals from the two Ramsey-CPT schemes, the short-term frequency stability of the proposed scheme was found to be 46% better than the scheme with AOM. The experimental results suggest that the implementation of a compact Ramsey-CPT atomic clock promises better frequency stability.

Journal of Applied Physics•Mar 7, 2014•15 citations

Application of directly modulated laser and polarimetric technique to observation of sub-Doppler resonances in small Cs vapor cell

I. S. Mesenzova, Denis V. Brazhnikov, S M Ignatovich +2 more

• The frequency standards are widely used in high-resolution spectroscopy, precision physics experiments • Metrology, location, geophysics, space exploration • One of the main methods of laser spectroscopy is method of saturated absorption in a gas of alkali metal atoms

•Aug 22, 2021•0 citations
AOM-RN, an acousto-optic modulator designed to operate in the pure Raman-Nath diffraction regime, was applied as an optical phase modulator in FM spectroscopy of saturated absorption resonances, coherent population trapping resonances, sub-natural magneto-optical resonances in Cs vapor, i.e. such kind of optical resonances which are currently employed as the frequency references in metrology of the microwave and optical frequency standards and in magnetometry. We show experimentally that the spatial divergence of the AOM-RN frequency modulated output spectrum, the only seeming disadvantage of AOM-RN, is not an obstacle, as well, to obtain the error signals by means of Pound-Drever-Hall heterodyne technique with the use of high-finesse (up to tens of thousands) Fabry-Perot cavities as the frequency discriminators.
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.
Traditional locking techniques, such as PDH (Pound-Drever-Hall), HC (Hansh-Couillaud), spatial mode interference technique, offset sideband locking technique, quantum noise locking, etc., have been widely applied to laser frequency stabilization and precision optical interferometry measurement. Here, a new technique, which we call phase-sensitive heterodyne locking (PSHL), is investigated by use of frequency-synthesized light to obtain a phase-sensitive high-frequency photoelectric readout to lock the phase of a squeezed light. Comparing with above techniques, there are several kinds of advantages for PSHL to be advocated. Frequency-synthesized light, which allows arbitrary control of the amplitudes and phases of the modulation sidebands relative to the carrier, is derived by the AOM (acousto-optic modulator), not the EOM (electro-optic modulator). Interferometic signals coming from a balanced heterodyne detector are high-frequency AC photoelectric current which can easily get rid of low-frequency classical noise and lead to reach or break through the shot noise limit. A theoretical derivation of the PSHL error signal and the associated stability of the squeezed and anti-squeezed lock points will be carried out in this work.
Atomic state manipulation by laser radiation requires a stringent control of the light phase noise for precise spectroscopy and quantum computation . In this work we describe a novel interferometer recently employed to estimate the phase noise induced by an optical frequency shifter based on serrodyne modulation for optical frequency standards (Barbiero et al., 2023). The interferometer is generated by an acousto-optic actuator working in the Raman-Nath regime. Using the heterodyne detection between the unshifted optical mode with the first higher order optical components , we are able to detect the differential phase between the two optical path arms with a reduction of the phase noise induced by the actuator. We provide a theoretical treatment for the actuator phase suppression and we estimate the detectable phase noise limit of this interferometer. Finally, we discuss the possible applications in the field of precision measurements.
We have shown earlier that hyperfine spectroscopy in a vapor cell using co-propagating pump-probe beams has many advantages over the usual technique of saturated-absorption spectroscopy using counter-propagating beams. The main advantages are the absence of crossover resonances, the appearance of the signal on a flat (Doppler-free) background, and the higher signal-to-noise ratio of the primary peaks. Interaction with non-zero-velocity atoms causes additional peaks, but only one of them appears within the primary spectrum. We first illustrate the advantages of this technique for high-resolution spectroscopy by studying the D2D_2D2​ line of Rb. We then use an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) for frequency calibration to make precise hyperfine-interval measurements in the first excited P3/2P_{3/2}P3/2​ state of 85,87^{85,87}85,87Rb and 133^{133}133Cs.
A scheme for a Ramsey-coherent population trapping (CPT) atomic clock that eliminates the acousto-optic modulator (AOM) is proposed and experimentally studied. Driven by a periodically microwave modulated current, the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser emits a continuous beam that switches between monochromatic and multichromatic modes. Ramsey-CPT interference has been studied with this mode-switching beam. In eliminating the AOM, which is used to generate pulsed laser in conventional Ramsey-CPT atomic clock, the physics package of the proposed scheme is virtually the same as that of a conventional compact CPT atomic clock, although the resource budget for the electronics will slightly increase as a microwave switch should be added. By evaluating and comparing experimentally recorded signals from the two Ramsey-CPT schemes, the short-term frequency stability of the proposed scheme was found to be 46% better than the scheme with AOM. The experimental results suggest that the implementation of a compact Ramsey-CPT atomic clock promises better frequency stability.