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Physical Review A

High-precision wavelength-flexible frequency division for metrology

Petra Groß, Klaus J. Boller, Marvin E. Klein

Published Apr 29, 2005• 16 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We realize and investigate wavelength-flexible phase-coherent all-optical frequency division by 2. Frequency division is obtained via self-phase-locking in a degenerate continuous-wave (cw) optical parametric oscillator (OPO). The wavelength flexibility of the divider is based on the use of quasi-phase-matching with perpendicular polarizations of the OPO output waves (type II). Mutual injection of the subharmonic waves is achieved by using an intracavity quarter-wave plate. A locking range of up to $160\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{MHz}$ is observed experimentally, and a stable, self-phase-locked operation of the OPO is achieved over typically $15\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{min}$. For the first time, we measure the frequency stability of the divider by recording the relative phases of the subharmonic waves as a function of time. For a measurement time interval of $40\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{s}$, we measure a residual frequency instability of the divider of $8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}18}$. We demonstrate a full control of the OPO's output-wave phase difference and observe the related change in power ratio of the subharmonic waves in agreement with the theoretically expected behavior. We propose that this possibility to monitor the divider's drift within the locking range via the power ratio can be used for stabilizing that drift in order to achieve a significant improvement of the long-term stability of the divide-by-2 OPO.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.71.043824

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arXiv:quant-ph/0604134•Physical Review A•Oct 16, 2006•88 citations
We realize and investigate wavelength-flexible phase-coherent all-optical frequency division by 2. Frequency division is obtained via self-phase-locking in a degenerate continuous-wave (cw) optical parametric oscillator (OPO). The wavelength flexibility of the divider is based on the use of quasi-phase-matching with perpendicular polarizations of the OPO output waves (type II). Mutual injection of the subharmonic waves is achieved by using an intracavity quarter-wave plate. A locking range of up to 160MHz160\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{MHz}160MHz is observed experimentally, and a stable, self-phase-locked operation of the OPO is achieved over typically 15min15\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{min}15min. For the first time, we measure the frequency stability of the divider by recording the relative phases of the subharmonic waves as a function of time. For a measurement time interval of 40s40\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{s}40s, we measure a residual frequency instability of the divider of 8\ifmmode×\else\texttimes\fi10\ensuremath−188\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}18}8\ifmmode×\else\texttimes\fi10\ensuremath−18. We demonstrate a full control of the OPO's output-wave phase difference and observe the related change in power ratio of the subharmonic waves in agreement with the theoretically expected behavior. We propose that this possibility to monitor the divider's drift within the locking range via the power ratio can be used for stabilizing that drift in order to achieve a significant improvement of the long-term stability of the divide-by-2 OPO.
Frequency division in the optical regime is a desirable capability for precision measurement applications. We have recently demonstrated a new approach to tunable frequency division based on an optical parametric oscillator (OPO). By phase locking the signal–idler beat frequency to a microwave frequency source, an input pump frequency is halved. This beat frequency measurement precisely determines the signal and idler frequencies. The method is an efficient one-step process, and OPO dividers can be operated in series or in parallel to measure, compare, and synthesize frequencies from optical to microwave. Our initial results from a cw tunable KTP OPO divider indicate good frequency control and tuning capability, with a signal-idler beat-note linewidth at the hertz level. We will discuss the prospects for an OPO-based optical frequency counter that can accurately measure any optical frequency relative to a microwave frequency standard.
A single-frequency optical parametric oscillator (OPO) operating in the wavelength range around 2 µm is reported. The OPO comprises a periodically poled LiNbO 3 (PPLN) crystal for quasi-phase matching and a four-mirror ring-cavity resonant to the signal. The OPO signal and idler are tuned from 1.89 to 2.05 µm and from 2.21 to 2.42 µm, respectively, by changing the crystal temperature. Output powers in excess of 2 W are demonstrated at a pump power of 9 W for both the signal and idler over all of the respective tuning ranges. A detailed characterization of the intensity and frequency noise is presented. The OPO exhibits an integrated intensity noise below 0.1% and a linewidth of ∼58 kHz for an observation time of 1 ms. The reported performance makes this source an ideal candidate for the generation of squeezed light around 2 µm via cascaded second-harmonic generation (SHG) and parametric downconversion (PDC).
Type II optical parametric oscillators are amongst the highest-quality sources of quantum-correlated light. In particular, when pumped above threshold, such devices generate a pair of bright orthogonally-polarized beams with strong continuous-variable entanglement. However, these sources are of limited practical use, because the entangled beams emerge with different frequencies and a diffusing phase difference. It has been proven that the use of an internal wave-plate coupling the modes with orthogonal polarization is capable of locking the frequencies of the emerging beams to half the pump frequency, as well as reducing the phase-difference diffusion, at the expense of reducing the entanglement levels. In this work we characterize theoretically an alternative locking mechanism: the injection of a laser at half the pump frequency. Apart from being less invasive, this method should allow for an easier real-time experimental control. We show that such an injection is capable of generating the desired phase locking between the emerging beams, while still allowing for large levels of entanglement. Moreover, we find an additional region of the parameter space (at relatively large injections) where a mode with well defined polarization is in a highly amplitude-squeezed state.
Type II optical parametric oscillators are amongst the highest-quality sources of quantum-correlated light. In particular, when pumped above threshold, such devices generate a pair of bright orthogonally-polarized beams with strong continuous-variable entanglement. However, these sources are of limited practical use, because the entangled beams emerge with different frequencies and a diffusing phase difference. It has been proven that the use of an internal wave-plate coupling the modes with orthogonal polarization is capable of locking the frequencies of the emerging beams to half the pump frequency, as well as reducing the phase-difference diffusion, at the expense of reducing the entanglement levels. In this work we characterize theoretically an alternative locking mechanism: the injection of a laser at half the pump frequency. Apart from being less invasive, this method should allow for an easier real-time experimental control. We show that such an injection is capable of generating the desired phase locking between the emerging beams, while still allowing for large levels of entanglement. Moreover, we find an additional region of the parameter space (at relatively large injections) where a mode with well defined polarization is in a highly amplitude-squeezed state.
We observed continuous-variable entanglement between the bright beams emitted above threshold by an ultrastable optical parametric oscillator (OPO), classically phase locked at a frequency difference of 161.8273240(5)MHz161.827\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}324\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}0(5)\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{MHz}161.8273240(5)MHz. The amplitude-difference squeezing is $\ensuremath{-}3\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{dB}$ and the phase-sum one is $\ensuremath{-}1.35\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{dB}$. Besides proving entanglement in a phase-locked OPO, such outstanding frequency-difference stability paves the way for transferring entanglement between different optical frequencies and densely implementing continuous-variable quantum information in the frequency domain.