Diode laser frequency locking using Zeeman effect and feedback in temperature

Abstract

We demonstrate the stabilization of a laser diode frequency, using the circular dichroism of an alkali vapor and feeding back the correction signal to the temperature actuator of the junction. The conditions of operation and the performance of such a system are discussed.

Laser stabilization to an atomic transition using an optically generated dispersive line shape

“…Postal 5086, 58051-900 João Pessoa, PB, Brazil e-mail: martine@otica.ufpb.br optical cooler. 1 For such applications a few simple and reliable techniques were developed [4][5][6][7][8][9][10] and allow one to deal with lasers in various long-run experiments. The main idea behind many of these techniques is to generate a dispersive line shape that will produce an error signal.…”

“…The main idea behind many of these techniques is to generate a dispersive line shape that will produce an error signal. In particular, for the dichroic atomic vapor laser lock (DAVLL) [4] and its variants [5,10], the stabilization frequency may easily be chosen around the center of the Doppler-broadened line. However, a relatively uniform external magnetic field is needed to generate the Zeeman split of the probed hyperfine transition and a double detection with well-balanced photodetectors is also necessary.…”

“…On the other hand, for many scientific and technical applications one only needs to avoid frequency drifts and, sometimes, the desired laser frequency does not lay at the maximum of an atomic lineshape, but rather at a displaced frequency, as for instance, when operating an optical cooler [3]. For such applications a few simple and reliable techniques were developed [4][5][6][7][8][9][10] and allow on e to deal with lasers in various long run experiments. The main idea behind many of these techniques is to generate a dispersive lineshape that will produce an error signal.…”