A portable laser system for high-precision atom interferometry experiments

Year: 2011

Authors: Schmidt M., Prevedelli M., Giorgini A., Tino G.M., Peters A.

Autors Affiliation: Institut für Physik, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Newtonstraße 15, 12489 Berlin, Germany;
Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Bologna, Via Irnerio 46, 40127 Bologna, Italy;
Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia and LENS, Università di Firenze-INFN, Via Sansone 1 Polo Scientifico, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy

Abstract: We present a modular rack-mounted laser system for the cooling and manipulation of neutral rubidium atoms which has been developed for a portable gravimeter based on atom interferometry that will be capable of performing high-precision gravity measurements directly at sites of geophysical interest. This laser system is constructed in a compact and mobile design so that it can be transported to different locations, yet it still offers improvements over many conventional laboratory-based laser systems. Our system is contained in a standard 19aEuro(3) rack and emits light at five different frequencies simultaneously on up to 12 fibre ports at a total output power of 800 mW. These frequencies can be changed and switched between ports in less than a microsecond. The setup includes two phase-locked diode lasers with a phase noise spectral density of less than 1 mu rad/Hz(1/2) in the frequency range in which our gravimeter is most sensitive to noise. We characterise this laser system and evaluate the performance limits it imposes on an interferometer.

Journal/Review: APPLIED PHYSICS B-LASERS AND OPTICS

Volume: 102 (1)      Pages from: 11  to: 18

More Information: This work is supported by the European Commission (FINAQS, Contr. No. 012986-2 NEST), by ESA (SAI, Contr. No. 20578/07/NL/VJ) and by ESF/DFG (EuroQuasar-IQS, DFG grant PE 904/2-1). We further thank LNE-SYRTE for design and construction of the frequency chain and the QUANTUS team for a fruitful collaboration.
DOI: 10.1007/s00340-010-4263-8

Citations: 51
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