A Nd:YAG Laser with short-term frequency stability at the Hertz-level

• Published in: Optics communications Vol. 210; no. 1; pp. 91 - 100
• Main Authors: Nevsky, A.Yu, Eichenseer, M., von Zanthier, J., Walther, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.09.2002; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Doped-insulator lasers and other solid state lasers; Efficiency, stability, gain, and other operational parameters; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Laser optical systems: design and operation; Lasers; Optics; Physics; Frequency locking; Infrared laser; Solid state lasers; YAG laser; Laser frequency stability; Experimental study; Vibration isolation; Neodymium lasers
• ISSN: 0030-4018; 1873-0310
• DOI: 10.1016/S0030-4018(02)01763-7

We report on the frequency stabilisation of a Nd:YAG laser at 946 nm to the Hertz-level. The laser will be used for ultra-high resolution spectroscopy of the 5 s 2 1 S 0−5 s5p 3 P 0 transition in In + and will ultimately serve as a local oscillator of an optical frequency standard based on a single trapped indium ion. To resolve the extremely narrow 1 S 0− 3 P 0 resonance (natural linewidth 0.82 Hz) at 237 nm, the frequency-quadrupled Nd:YAG laser radiation has to be frequency stable at the Hertz-scale for measurement times up to several tens of seconds. We obtain the frequency stability of the laser by locking it onto an external reference cavity of high finesse, placed on an active vibration isolation platform.