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Silicon Photonics: High-Performance Modulators for Cold Atom Interferometry

Ashok Kodigala, Michael R. Gehl, Gregory W. Hoth, Jongmin Lee, Christopher Todd Derose, Andrew T. S. Pomerene, Christina M. Dallo, Douglas C. Trotter, Andrew Starbuck, Grant W. Biedermann, Peter D. D. Schwindt, Anthony L. Lentine

Published Jan 1, 2025• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Using a high-performance suppressed-carrier silicon photonic single-sideband modulator at 1560nm, we demonstrate cold atom generation, state-selective detection, and atom interferometer fringes estimating gravitational acceleration, g≈9.77±0.01 m/s2, in a Rubidium atom system.
DOI
10.1364/cleo_si.2025.ss116_2

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•Dec 1, 2021•0 citations
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This paper reports on a detailed performance characterization of a recently developed optical single-sideband (OSSB) laser system based on an IQ modulator and second-harmonic generation for rubidium atom interferometry experiments. The measured performance is used to evaluate the noise contributions of this OSSB laser system when it is applied to drive stimulated Raman transitions in 87 R b for precision measurements of gravitational acceleration. The laser system suppresses unwanted sideband components, but additional phase shift compensation must be applied when performing frequency chirps with such an OSSB laser system. The total phase noise contribution of the OSSB laser system in the current experiment is 72 mrad for a single atom interferometry sequence with interrogation times of T = 120 m s , which corresponds to a relative precision of 32 ng per shot. The dominant noise sources are found in the relative power fluctuations between sideband and carrier components and the phase noise of the microwave source.
We report the current progress in the development of a compact, deployable cold-atom interferometry sensor platform towards atomic sensors for position, navigation, and time (PNT) applications. A simplified atomic sensor head with diffractive optics, an alignment-free optical package, and photonic-integrated-circuit (PIC) compatible laser architecture [1] are essential for its compactness and deployability. This cold-atom sensor platform can be generally applied to gravimeters, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and clocks, and the sensor platform includes significant engineering efforts in the development of grating-mirror magneto-optical traps (G-MOTs), custom titanium vacuum package with passive pumping, and silicon photonics multi-channel on-chip single sideband modulators.
We report the current progress in the development of a compact, deployable cold-atom interferometry sensor platform towards atomic sensors for position, navigation, and time (PNT) applications.A simplified atomic sensor head with diffractive optics, a fixed-alignment optical package, and photonic-integrated-circuit (PIC) compatible laser architecture [1] are essential for its compactness and deployability.This cold atom sensor platform can be generally applied to gravimeters, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and clocks, and the sensor platform includes significant engineering efforts in the development of grating-mirror magneto-optical traps (G-MOTs), ridgid structural design, a custom titanium vacuum package with passive pumping, and silicon photonics multi-channel on-chip single sideband modulators.