Abstract
We demonstrate a simple and versatile method to greatly extend the tuning range of optical frequency shifting devices, such as acousto-optic modulators (AOMs). We use this method to stabilize the frequency of a tunable narrow-band continuous-wave (CW) laser to a transmission maximum of an external Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) with a tunable frequency offset. This is achieved through a servo loop which contains an in-loop AOM for simple radiofrequency (RF) tuning of the optical frequency over the full 30 GHz mode-hop-free tuning range of the CW laser. By stabilizing the length of the FPI to a stabilized helium-neon (HeNe) laser (at 5 THz offset from the tunable laser) we simultaneously transfer the ~ 1 MHz absolute frequency stability of the HeNe laser to the entire 30 GHz range of the tunable laser. Thus, our method allows simple, wide-range, fast and reproducible optical frequency tuning and absolute optical frequency measurements through RF electronics, which is here demonstrated by repeatedly recording a 27-GHz-wide molecular iodine spectrum at scan rates up to 500 MHz/s. General technical aspects that determine the performance of the method are discussed in detail.
Highlights
Narrowband continuous-wave (CW) stabilized lasers have many applications in experimental atomic and molecular physics, examples including laser spectroscopy, laser cooling, and coherent optical manipulation of atoms and molecules
We demonstrate a simple and versatile method to greatly extend the tuning range of optical frequency shifting devices, such as acousto-optic modulators (AOMs)
We use this method to stabilize the frequency of a tunable narrow-band continuous-wave (CW) laser to a transmission maximum of an external Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) with a tunable frequency offset
Summary
Narrowband continuous-wave (CW) stabilized lasers have many applications in experimental atomic and molecular physics, examples including laser spectroscopy, laser cooling, and coherent optical manipulation of atoms and molecules. A commonlyused method is to lock a laser source directly to a nearby optical or molecular reference transition, after which part of the laser output is sent through a variable-frequency-shifting device such as an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) or an electro-optic modulator (EOM). Both AOMs and EOMs have the practical advantage that optical frequency tuning is readily accomplished by adjusting the radio frequency (RF) of the device driver electronics. A practical disadvantage of the latter two methods is the need for spectrally pure, high-end microwave oscillators
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