Semiconductor lasers stabilized to spectral holes in rare earth crystals to a part in 10(13) and their application to devices and spectroscopy

Journal article

Single-frequency diode lasers have been stabilized to 200Hz at 1.5μm and independently to 20 Hz at 793 nm over 10-ms integration times using narrow spectral holes in the absorption lines of Er3+- and Tm3+-doped cryogenic crystals as frequency references. Kilohertz stability over 100-s integration times is provided by these techniques, and that performance should be extendable to long integration times with further development. The achieved frequency stabilization provides ideal lasers for high-resolution spectroscopy in the time and frequency domains, real time analog optical signal processing based on spatial-spectral holography, interferometry, and other applications requiring ultra-narrow-band light sources or coherent detection. The stabilized lasers have enabled demonstrations of analog optical signal processing in Er3+ materials at 0.5 GHz bandwidths at temperatures of 4.2K, and they will be important for electromagnetically induced transparency and quantum information demonstrations. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Authors: Pryde, G; Bottger, T; Cone, R; Ward, R

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: JOURNAL OF LUMINESCENCE
• Volume: 98
• Issue: 1-4
• Pages: 309-315
• Publication date: 2002-07-01
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-2313(02)00285-5
• ISSN: 0022-2313
• Language: English
• Keywords: Er3+; 1.5 mu m wavelength; spectral hole burning; laser stabilization; rare earth