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Applied Optics

Doppler modulation and Zeeman modulation: laser frequency stabilization without direct frequency modulation

Antoine Weis, S. Derler

Published Jul 1, 1988• 25 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We discuss two methods (Zeeman modulation and Doppler modulation) for locking the frequency of a singlemode cw laser to an atomic absorption line. These methods do not require the laser frequency to be modulated directly. In the first scheme the absorption frequency of the atom is modulated via the Zeeman effect; in the second scheme the laser frequency is modulated indirectly via the Doppler effect in an atomic beam. We used the two methods successfully to lock two dye lasers to the transitions 6S((1/2)) ? 7S((1/2)) and 7S((1/2)) ? 15P(?) in atomic cesium.

DOI
10.1364/ao.27.002662

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We discuss two methods (Zeeman modulation and Doppler modulation) for locking the frequency of a singlemode cw laser to an atomic absorption line. These methods do not require the laser frequency to be modulated directly. In the first scheme the absorption frequency of the atom is modulated via the Zeeman effect; in the second scheme the laser frequency is modulated indirectly via the Doppler effect in an atomic beam. We used the two methods successfully to lock two dye lasers to the transitions 6S((1/2)) ? 7S((1/2)) and 7S((1/2)) ? 15P(?) in atomic cesium.
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.
Utilizing the Zeeman Faraday effect in atomic vapor cells, a novel setup is introduced both for laser intensity stabilization and laser intensity modulation. The method is based on the closed loop control of the polarization rotation angle of the laser light in an atomic vapor cell for adjustment of the laser intensity. Characterizing the implemented setup, it is shown that more than 30 dB attenuation of the optical fluctuation is achieved in the frequency range from DC to 1 kHz. Meanwhile, the laser intensity could be efficiently locked to a modulating voltage signal, which results in amplitude modulation of the laser beam. We believe that this simple method could be effectively used in different atomic physics experiments, including the stabilization of the laser intensity in applications where near resonance frequency sweeping is required or applications that contain optical modulation of lasers in lock-in detection schemes.
We demonstrate a robust method of stabilizing a diode laser frequency to an atomic transition. This technique employs the Zeeman shift to generate an antisymmetric signal about a Doppler-broadened atomic resonance, and therefore offers a large recapture range as well as high stability. The frequency of a 780-nm diode laser, stabilized to such a signal in Rb, drifted less than 0.5 MHz peak-peak (1 part in 10(9)) in 38 h. This tunable frequency lock can be constructed inexpensively, requires little laser power, rarely loses lock, and can be extended to other wavelengths by use of different atomic species.
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 results of two experiments involving the rapid frequency modulation of diode lasers are presented. In the first experiment, a cesium beam of 10('14) atoms/sec is produced with more than 98% of the atoms in a single spin state. The beam is polarized by optically pumping it with a single diode laser whose frequency is switched between the 6s(F = 4)-6p(,3/2)(F = 5) and 6s(F = 3)-6p(,3/2)(F = 4) transitions at 100 kHz. To do this, the frequency response of a diode laser to changes in injection current was first determined and the injection current modified to force a jump of 9.2 GHz in 1.5 (mu)sec. The same laser is used to probe the atomic population distribution simultaneously. In the second experiment, two diode lasers, tuned to the 6s(F = 4)-6p(,3/2)(F = 5) and 6s(F = 3)-6p(,3/2)(F = 4) transitions, are used to cool and stop a beam of cesium atoms. The laser frequencies are swept to keep them in resonance with the slowing atoms. The same lasers are used to probe the resulting velocity distribution. More than 10('10) atoms/sec are slowed to a velocity of 0 (+OR-) 15 m/sec, corresponding to a temperature of 1(DEGREES)K. Both of these experiments demonstrate extremely simple and inexpensive ways to manipulate atomic cesium.
We herein develop and demonstrate a stable frequency-locking scheme for Rydberg atomic experiments. We use the Zeeman effect to modulate the three-level ladder-type Rydberg electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) signal to lock the laser frequency of the coupling light for transition from its intermediate state to a Rydberg state. The effects of polarization of the probe and coupling lights, and the amplitude of the AC modulated magnetic field B 0 on the EIT and the corresponding dispersive error signal, are both analyzed. The results show that both the EIT signal and dispersive error signal are the strongest when the polarizations of coupling and probe fields are circular and equal. The signal-to-noise ratio of the dispersive error signal increases with B 0 . The slope of the dispersive error signal increases first and then decreases with B 0 , which is related to the increase of the EIT linewidth caused by the higher B 0 . The linewidth of the laser is significantly less than 500 kHz after frequency locking, which satisfies the requirements of most experiments involving Rydberg atoms. The method proposed herein can generally be applied to any cascade system of Rydberg atoms.