Saturation Spectroscopy Research Articles

Iodine-stabilized single-frequency green InGaN diode laser.

A 520-nm InGaN diode laser can emit a milliwatt-level, single-frequency laser beam when the applied current slightly exceeds the lasing threshold. The laser frequency was less sensitive to diode temperature and could be finely tuned by adjusting the applied current. Laser frequency was stabilized onto a hyperfine component in an iodine transition through the saturated absorption spectroscopy. The uncertainty of frequency stabilization was approximately 8×10-9 at a 10-s integration time. This compact laser system can replace the conventional green diode-pumped solid-state laser and applied as a frequency reference. A single longitudinal mode operational region with diode temperature, current, and output power was investigated.

Frequency Measurement of Tellurium Lines Near Calcium

We report measurement of frequencies of tellurium lines with respect to atomic calcium employing a 423 nm commercial violet laser diode placed in an extended cavity. Doppler-free saturated absorption spectroscopy of molecular tellurium is performed on three lines, which are lower and higher in energy to the calcium 4s2 1S0–4s4p 1P1 transition. The measured frequency difference of 717(13) MHz between the strong absorption line, #1508 in the tellurium atlas and the calcium transition is in agreement within 10% of the values available from literature. Wavenumbers of two new tellurium lines are derived from the measurement. In addition, spectroscopy and laser cooling and trapping of francium (n = 7) on the ns 2S1/2–(n + 1)p 2P3/2 transition and spectroscopy of Te2 lines near francium could be performed employing the 423 nm diode laser.

Absolute frequencies of water lines near 790 nm with 10−11 accuracy

Water lines in the infrared are convenient frequency references. We present absolute positions of several H216O ro-vibrational transitions around 790 nm using comb-locked cavity ring-down saturation spectroscopy. Lamb dips of 6 water lines with saturation power in the range of 70–130 kW/cm2 were observed and the line positions were determined with an accuracy of 25 kHz, corresponding to a fractional uncertainty of 6.6 × 10−11. The present work demonstrates the capability to considerably improve the accuracy of the water line positions in the infrared.

Measurement of frequency sweep nonlinearity using atomic absorption spectroscopy

A novel scheme to determine frequency sweep nonlinearity using atomic saturated absorption spectroscopy is proposed and demonstrated. The frequency modulation rate is determined by directly measuring the interference fringe number and the frequency gap between two atomic transition peaks of rubidium atom. An experimental setup is established, and test results show that the frequency sweep nonlinearity is ∼10%, with an average frequency modulation rate of ∼1.12 THz/s. Moreover, the absolute optical frequency and optical path difference between two laser beams are simultaneously determined with this method. This low-cost technique can be used for optical frequency sweep nonlinearity correction and real-time frequency monitor.

Optical spin noise spectra of Rb atomic gas with homogeneous and inhomogeneous broadening

We study the optical spin noise spectra of Rb atomic gas with different broadening mechanisms. The first is homogeneous broadening using 250 Torr nitrogen buffer gas, while the other mechanism is inhomogeneous broadening via the Doppler effect without buffer gas. Spin noise signals are measured by the typical spin noise spectroscopy geometry (single-pass geometry) and the saturated absorption spectroscopy geometry (double-pass geometry). In the homogeneously broadened system, the line shape of the optical spin noise spectra shows a pronounced dip that vanishes at the center of the band in both geometries. In the inhomogeneously broadened system, however, a peak in the single-pass geometry and a dip in the double-pass geometry at the band center are observed. The difference between the optical spin noise spectra from these two systems arises from their different level-broadening mechanisms.

Sub-Doppler resolution near-infrared spectroscopy at 1.28 μm with the noise-immune cavity-enhanced optical heterodyne molecular spectroscopy method.

We report on the sub-Doppler saturation spectroscopy of the nitrous oxide (N2O) overtone transition at 1.28μm. This measurement is performed by the noise-immune cavity-enhanced optical heterodyne molecular spectroscopy technique based on the quantum-dot (QD) laser. A high intra-cavity power, up to 10W, reaches the saturation limit of the overtone line using an optical cavity with a high finesse of 1.14(5)×105. At a pressure of several mTorr, the saturation dip is observed with a full width at half-maximum of about 2MHz and a signal-to-noise ratio of 71. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first saturation spectroscopy of molecular overtone transitions in the 1.3μm region. The QD laser is then locked to this dispersion signal with a stability of 15kHz at 1s integration time. We demonstrate the potential of the N2O as a marker because of its particularly rich spectrum at the vicinity of 1.28-1.30μm where there are several important forbidden transitions of atomic parity violation measurements and the 1.3μm O-band of optical communication.

Stark spectroscopy at Balmer-α line of atomic hydrogen for measuring sheath electric field in a hydrogen plasma

This paper reports a diode laser based system which is applicable to the measurement of electric field in the sheath region of a hydrogen plasma. The electric field is deduced from the Stark spectrum of the Balmer-α line of atomic hydrogen. Saturation spectroscopy with a Doppler-free spectral resolution is adopted to detect the Stark effects of the low energy states. We have demonstrated a detection limit of 10 V cm−1, which is a sufficient sensitivity for investigating the structures of the sheath electric fields in low-temperature plasmas. We have discussed the detection limit, the measurement ambiguity, the spatial resolution, and the limitation of the developed method.

Comb-locked cavity ring-down saturation spectroscopy

We present a new method of comb-locked cavity ring-down spectroscopy for the Lamb-dip measurement of molecular ro-vibrational transitions. By locking both the probe laser frequency and a temperature-stabilized high-finesse cavity to an optical frequency comb, we realize saturation spectroscopy of molecules with kilohertz accuracy. The technique is demonstrated by recording the R(9) line in the υ = 3 - 0 overtone band of CO near 1567 nm. The Lamb-dip spectrum of such a weak line (transition rate 0.0075 s-1) is obtained using an input laser power of only 3 mW, and the position is determined to be 191 360 212 770 kHz with an uncertainty of 7 kHz (δν/ν∼3.5×10-11), which is currently limited by our rubidium clock.

Frequency measurements and molecular constants of the 12C16O2 [1001, 0201]II ← 0000 band near 2.7 μm

Absolute frequencies of 23 transitions ranging from J = 2 to 70 for both the P and R branches of the 12C16O2 [1001, 0201]II←0000 band near 2.7μm are measured to 17kHz accuracy with sub-Doppler saturated absorption spectroscopy using a precise single frequency PPLN (periodically poled lithium niobate) OPO (optical parametric oscillator). A refined set of molecular constants are obtained which gives the differences between measured and calculated values of less than 7kHz.

Performance of sheath electric field measurement by saturation spectroscopy in Balmer-α line of atomic hydrogen

We developed a diode laser-based system for measuring the sheath electric fields in low-temperature plasmas. The Stark spectrum of the Balmer-α line of atomic hydrogen was measured by saturation spectroscopy with a fine spectral resolution. The spectrum observed experimentally was consistent with the theoretical Stark spectrum, and we succeeded in evaluating the electric field strength on the basis of the experimental Stark spectrum. A sensitive detection limit of 10 V/cm was achieved by the developed system.

Development of a saturated absorption spectroscopy setup at IGISOL for characterisation of Fabry-Pérot interferometers

A saturated absorption spectroscopy setup was developed and optimised for the characterisation of a home-built and a commercial Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI). The free spectral range of these FPIs has been determined with reliable statistical and systematic errors. These FPIs will be used for accurate wavelength determination of broad- and narrowband pulsed Ti:sapphire lasers used in resonance ionisation spectroscopy experiments.

Multiplexed sub-Doppler spectroscopy with an optical frequency comb.

An optical frequency comb generated with an electro-optic phase modulator and a chirped radiofrequency waveform is used to perform pump-probe spectroscopy on the D1 and D2 transitions of atomic potassium at 770.1 nm and 766.7 nm, respectively. With a comb tooth spacing of 200 kHz and an optical bandwidth of 2 GHz the hyperfine transitions can be simultaneously observed. Interferograms are recorded in as little as 5 μs (a timescale corresponding to the inverse of the comb tooth spacing). Importantly, the sub-Doppler features can be measured as long as the laser carrier frequency lies within the Doppler profile, thus removing the need for slow scanning or a priori knowledge of the frequencies of the sub-Doppler features. Sub-Doppler optical frequency comb spectroscopy has the potential to dramatically reduce acquisition times and allow for rapid and accurate assignment of complex molecular and atomic spectra which are presently intractable.

External cavity diode laser setup with two interference filters

We present an external cavity diode laser setup using two identical, commercially available interference filters operated in the blue wavelength range around 450 nm. The combination of the two filters decreases the transmission width, while increasing the edge steepness without a significant reduction in peak transmittance. Due to the broad spectral transmission of such interference filters compared to the internal mode spacing of blue laser diodes, an additional locking scheme, based on H\"ansch-Couillaud locking to a cavity, has been added to improve the stability. The laser is stabilized to a line in the tellurium spectrum via saturation spectroscopy, and single-frequency operation for a duration of two days is demonstrated by monitoring the error signal of the lock and the piezo drive compensating the length change of the external resonator due to air pressure variations. Additionally, transmission curves of the filters and the spectra of a sample of diodes are given.

A stabilized laser continuously tunable over a range of 1.5 GHz.

We demonstrate a method to stabilize laser frequency which can be continuously tuned over a range of 1.5 GHz. It is based on saturated absorption spectroscopy (SAS) generated by an external-cavity diode laser (ECDL) which is modulated by an electro-optic amplitude modulator (EO-AM). The spectra consist of not only the original peaks corresponding to resonant and crossover lines of 133Cs D2 line, but also signals introduced by sidebands from an EO-AM. Thus, the laser frequency can be locked to any point within the range of the spectra. Furthermore, the tuning range of the laser can be doubled compared to the coverage of common SAS by fixing the frequency of the pumping laser. The best stability of the locked laser induced by the EO-AM is 1.27 × 10-11 over an integrating time of 125 s. This method may be applied for more precise and flexible manipulation of atoms and molecules.

Applications of Doppler-free saturation spectroscopy for edge physics studies (invited).

Doppler-free saturation spectroscopy provides a very powerful method to obtain detailed information about the electronic structure of the atom through measurement of the spectral line profile. This is achieved through a significant decrease in the Doppler broadening and essentially an elimination of the instrument broadening inherent to passive spectroscopic techniques. In this paper we present the technique and associated physics of Doppler-free saturation spectroscopy in addition to how one selects the appropriate transition. Simulations of Hδ spectra are presented to illustrate the increased sensitivity to both electric field and electron density measurements.

Brain oxygen saturation assessment in neonates using T2-prepared blood imaging of oxygen saturation and near-infrared spectroscopy

Although near-infrared spectroscopy is increasingly being used to monitor cerebral oxygenation in neonates, it has a limited penetration depth. The T2-prepared Blood Imaging of Oxygen Saturation (T2-BIOS) magnetic resonance sequence provides an oxygen saturation estimate on a voxel-by-voxel basis, without needing a respiratory calibration experiment. In 15 neonates, oxygen saturation measured by T2-prepared blood imaging of oxygen saturation and near-infrared spectroscopy were compared. In addition, these measures were compared to cerebral blood flow and venous oxygen saturation in the sagittal sinus. A strong linear relation was found between the oxygen saturation measured by magnetic resonance imaging and the oxygen saturation measured by near-infrared spectroscopy (R2 = 0.64, p < 0.001). Strong linear correlations were found between near-infrared spectroscopy oxygen saturation, and magnetic resonance imaging measures of frontal cerebral blood flow, whole brain cerebral blood flow and venous oxygen saturation in the sagittal sinus (R2 = 0.71, 0.50, 0.65; p < 0.01). The oxygen saturation obtained by T2-prepared blood imaging of oxygen saturation correlated with venous oxygen saturation in the sagittal sinus (R2 = 0.49, p = 0.023), but no significant correlations could be demonstrated with frontal and whole brain cerebral blood flow. These results suggest that measuring oxygen saturation by T2-prepared blood imaging of oxygen saturation is feasible, even in neonates. Strong correlations between the various methods work as a cross validation for near-infrared spectroscopy and T2-prepared blood imaging of oxygen saturation, confirming the validity of using of these techniques for determining cerebral oxygenation.

Coherent signal amplification of refractive index spectrum in rubidium vapor using phase-shifting interferometry

We have experimentally demonstrated a general method to perform high-precision refractive index spectrum measurement using phase-shifting interferometry in a phase-tunable Mach–Zehnder interferometer. We observed coherent amplification on the refractive spectrum, across the Lamb dips of ground hyperfine states in a Doppler-broadened Rb87 vapor. Most importantly, the spectrum still has a large signal-to-noise ratio when the probe power is in the dark light level under which the method using a single interferogram fails. This experimental scheme is efficient for refractive spectrum measurements and could be extended for 2D phase imaging. It provides many potential applications for optical phase measurements in linear, nonlinear, and quantum optics.

An inverted crossover resonance aiding laser cooling of ^171Yb

We observe an inverted crossover resonance in $\pi$-driven four-level systems, where $F'-F=0,+1$. The signal is observed through saturated absorption spectroscopy of the $(6s^{2})$ $^{1}S_{0}$ $-$ $(6s6p)$ $^{3}P_{1}$ transition in $^{171}$Yb, where the nuclear spin $I=1/2$. The enhanced absorption signal is used to generate a dispersive curve for 556 nm laser frequency stabilisation and the stabilised light cools $^{171}$Yb atoms in a two-stage magneto-optical trap, achieving temperatures of 20 $\mu$K. The Doppler-free spectroscopy scheme is further used to measure isotopic frequency shifts and hyperfine separations for the intercombination line in ytterbium.

Sensitivity to electron-to-proton mass ratio variation from 12C2H2 rovibrational transitions to v1 + v3 and v1 + v2 + v4 + v5 interacting levels

Calculations of the sensitivity to a variation of the electron-to-proton mass ratio μ for 12C2H2 transitions of the v1+v3 and v1+v2+v4+v5 bands in the spectral region at 1.5μm are presented. They account for the Fermi and l-type rotation and vibration resonances of the excited states. The frequency splittings between near resonant transitions, arising from a cancellation of effective rotational intervals with frequency shifts associated to the vibrational band origin, the anharmonicity and the rotation-vibration interactions, have sensitivity coefficients to a variation of μ of both signs in the range of 10–103. The measurements of temporal drifts of frequency splittings against the Cs frequency standard have the potential to better constrain a variation of μ comparing to that of other fundamental constants. The systematic frequency shifts for frequency splittings are discussed for experimental setups based on intracavity saturated absorption spectroscopy and the constraint of a measurement of a fractional variation of μ is projected at 10−10 level.

Molecular frequency reference at 1.56 μm using a 12C16O overtone transition with the noise-immune cavity-enhanced optical heterodyne molecular spectroscopy method.

We report on a molecular clock based on the interrogation of the 3ν rotational-vibrational combination band at 1563 nm of carbon monoxide C1612O. The laser stabilization scheme is based on the noise-immune cavity-enhanced optical heterodyne molecular spectroscopy (NICE-OHMS) technique in frequency modulation (FM) saturation spectroscopy. We use a high-finesse ultra-low expansion (ULE) glass optical cavity with CO as the molecular reference for long-term stabilization of the cavity resonance. We report an Allan deviation of 1.8×10-12 at 1 s that improves to ∼3.5×10-14 with 1000 s of averaging.