Optical frequency synthesizer for precision spectroscopy of Rydberg states of Rb atoms

Abstract

We have developed an optical frequency synthesizer for the precision spectroscopy of highly excited Rydberg states of Rb atoms. This synthesizer can generate a widely tunable 480 nm laser light with an optical power of 150 mW and an absolute frequency uncertainty of less than 100 kHz using a high-repetition-rate (325 MHz) Er fiber-based optical frequency comb and a tunable frequency-doubled diode laser at 960 nm. We demonstrate the precision two-photon spectroscopy of the Rydberg states of 87Rb atoms by observing the electromagnetically induced transparency in a vapor cell, and measure the absolute transition frequencies of 87Rb to nD (n = 53–92) and nS (n = 60–90) Rydberg states with an uncertainty of less than 250 kHz. It is the first direct frequency measurements of these transitions using an optical frequency comb.