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Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics

Toward a highly stable master laser for the interrogation of SYRTE’s Sr and Hg optical lattice clocks

Olivier Gobron, Katharina Predehl, Daniele Nicolodi, Rodolphe Le Targat, Alban Ferrier, Philippe Goldner, Signe Louise Seidelin, Yann Le Coq

Published Jan 1, 2016• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We report on the current developments of an ultra-stable laser based on spectral hole burning spectroscopy of rare-earth doped crystal at cryogenic temperature. Narrow spectral holes and error signal have been demonstrated with a heterodyne method.
DOI
10.1364/cleo_si.2016.sm2h.4

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Spectral hole burning in rare earth doped crystal can provide frequency references based on the optical transition of the dopant ions [1] . The narrow spectral patterns can be used to improve laser frequency stabilization [2] , [3] and provide a new generation of ultra-stable lasers with lower thermal noise benefiting from the cryogenic environment and better quality factor of the crystal than the amorphous glass typically used in the Fabry-Perot cavity. We utilize Europium doped yttrium silicon oxide (Eu:YSO) in our experiments, which allow realization of long lived (hours or more depending on temperature) narrow spectral holes ( kHz or less) well suited for high precision experiment applications. We will describe our novel double-heterodyne detection method [4] , used to decrease the detection noise, as well as experiments assessing quantitatively the sensitivity of the spectral pattern to crystal deformation [5] , [6] , application of electric field [7] and temperature fluctuations. We currently demonstrate a state-of-the-art laser frequency stability at 1.7 × 10 − 15 at 1s [4] , limited by the latter effect, for which improvement strategies have been demonstrated elsewhere [2] and which we are currently implementing. The other effects which we have quantitatively studied are compatible with a few 10 − 18 frequency stability at 1s time scale. This work is particularly promising in the context of optical frequency lattice clocks, for which the ultra-stable laser used for probing the clock transition is a strong limiting factor of the frequency stability.
We present an experimental technique for realizing a specific absorption spectral pattern in a rare-earth-doped crystal at cryogenic temperatures. This pattern is subsequently probed on two spectral channels simultaneously, thereby producing an error signal allowing frequency locking of a laser on the said spectral pattern. Appropriate combination of the two channels leads to a substantial reduction in detection noise, paving the way to realizing an ultra-stable laser for which the detection noise can be made arbitrarily low when using multiple channels. We use this technique to realize a laser with a frequency instability of 1.7 × 1 0 − 15 at 1 s, not limited by the detection noise but by environmental perturbation of the crystal. This is comparable with the lowest instability demonstrated at 1 s to date for rare-earth-doped crystal stabilized lasers.
We report on the measurement of uniaxial stress sensitivities of the spectral holes in rare earth doped crystal. This provides the necessary information for ab initio calculation of the acceleration sensitivity for a given crystal geometry, and provides the necessary base for optimizing the mounting of the crystal so as to decrease the vibration induced frequency instability. Furthermore, we report on a novel double heterodyne detection scheme which we have shown can be used to decrease the detection noise when locking a laser to the central frequency of a spectral hole, and thereby allows us to obtain a laser with fractional frequency instability of 1.7×10-15@ 1 s.
This poster presents the status of the development of an ultra-frequency stable laser via a spectroscopic technique known as Spectral Hole Burning (SHB). In short, we can use a pump laser to imprint, or ’burn’, transmissive spectral lines, or ’spectral holes’, in the otherwise inhomogeneously broadened absorptive spectral sites of a Eu3+ doped Y2SiO5 crystal. We can then lock a probe laser to these narrow spectral features achieving our frequency stabilized laser. Of great concern is the frequency stability of the spectral holes, such as their sensitivity to temperature changes which we characterize here. Additionally, a challenge this experiment faces is the restriction of probe laser power to avoid damaging the spectral features. This sets a relatively high level of shot noise, limiting the detection sensitivity. Here we present our solution to overcome this difficulty by using a multi-spectral- hole probing scheme to average the probing signals of several burned spectral holes.
Abstract We present several developments aimed at improving the stability of optical lattice clocks. First, we present our developments of an optical lattice clock using neutral mercury. We mention recent advances made with the fermionic isotope 199Hg. We also mention our work aimed at using bosonic isotopes, which offer the possibility to circumvent the relatively short lifetime of the upper clock state in 199Hg. Second, we present our work on a non-destructive detection in a Sr optical lattice clock. We describe developments that brought the detection scheme from the classical non-destructive regime to the quantum non-destructive regime. Our detection scheme is practical and has the capability to the used beyond proving the principle. Finally, we present our work on laser stabilization using spectral hole burning in a Eu3+:Y2SiO5 crystal at cryogenic temperatures. We describe our development of low noise interrogation based on digital IQ modulation and detection that can probe multiple spectral features simultaneously, as well as several investigations towards fluctuating environmental factors. These advances, individually or combined for example with spectral purity transfer with combs and composite clock approaches, shall bring significant progress in clock stability and accuracy.