Optical spectrum analyzer with quantum limited noise floor

Abstract

Interactions between atoms and lasers provide the potential for unprecedented control of quantum states. Fulfilling this potential requires detailed knowledge of frequency noise in optical oscillators with state-of-the-art stability. We demonstrate a technique that precisely measures the noise spectrum of an ultrastable laser using optical lattice-trapped ${}^{87}$Sr atoms as a quantum projection noise-limited reference. We determine the laser noise spectrum from near DC to 100 Hz via the measured fluctuations in atomic excitation, guided by a simple and robust theory model. The noise spectrum yields a 26(4) mHz linewidth at a central frequency of 429 THz, corresponding to an optical quality factor of $1.6\times 10^{16}$. This approach improves upon optical heterodyne beats between two similar laser systems by providing information unique to a single laser, and complements the traditionally used Allan deviation which evaluates laser performance at relatively long time scales. We use this technique to verify the reduction of resonant noise in our ultrastable laser via feedback from an optical heterodyne beat. Finally, we show that knowledge of our laser's spectrum allows us to accurately predict the laser-limited stability for optical atomic clocks.

References in corpus (11)

• Dynamical decoupling and noise spectroscopy with a superconducting flux qubit
• Optimized Dynamical Decoupling in a Model Quantum Memory
• Quantum State Engineering and Precision Metrology using State-Insensitive Light Traps
• Compact, thermal-noise-limited optical cavity for diode laser stabilization at 1 x 10-15
• Sub-Hz line width diode lasers by stabilization to vibrationally and thermally compensated ULE Fabry-Perot cavities
• Single Ion Quantum Lock-In Amplifier
• Comparison of Two Independent Sr Optical Clocks with 1e-17 Stability at 10^3 s
• A quantum many-body spin system in an optical lattice clock
• The absolute frequency of the 87Sr optical clock transition
• A vibration-insensitive optical cavity and absolute determination of its ultrahigh stability
• General Formalism for Evaluating the Impact of Phase Noise on Bloch Vector Rotations

Cited by in corpus (46)

• An Optical Lattice Clock with Accuracy and Stability at the $10^{-18}$ Level
• Systematic evaluation of an atomic clock at 2e-18 total uncertainty
• 1.5 $\mu$m lasers with sub 10 mHz linewidth
• Optical clock intercomparison with $6\times 10^{-19}$ precision in one hour
• Gravitational wave detection with optical lattice atomic clocks
• A Fermi-degenerate three-dimensional optical lattice clock
• Precision Metrology Meets Cosmology: Improved Constraints on Ultralight Dark Matter from Atom-Cavity Frequency Comparisons
• Imaging optical frequencies with 100 $\mu$Hz precision and 1.1 $\mu$m resolution
• A Resonant Mode for Gravitational Wave Detectors based on Atom Interferometry
• An ultrastable silicon cavity in a continuously operating closed-cycle cryostat at 4 K
• Frequency measurements of superradiance from the strontium clock transition
• Extreme Ultraviolet Radiation With Coherence Time Greater Than 1 s
• Strongly interacting ultracold polar molecules
• Demonstration of a time scale based on a stable optical carrier
• Universal quantum operations and ancilla-based readout for tweezer clocks
• Benchmarking and fidelity response theory of high-fidelity Rydberg entangling gates
• Quantum Lock-in Force Sensing using Optical Clock Doppler Velocimetry
• A widely tunable 10-$\mu$m quantum cascade laser phase-locked to a state-of-the-art mid-infrared reference for precision molecular spectroscopy
• Structure and morphology of low mechanical loss TiO${}_2$-doped Ta${}_2$O${}_5$
• On-Line Estimation of Local Oscillator Noise and Optimisation of Servo Parameters in Atomic Clocks
• Entanglement-Enhanced Optical Atomic Clocks
• Non-linear Spectroscopy of Sr Atoms in an Optical Cavity for Laser Stabilization
• Entanglement and spin-squeezing in a network of distant optical lattice clocks
• Large Energy Superpositions via Rydberg Dressing
• Observation of Motion Dependent Nonlinear Dispersion with Narrow Linewidth Atoms in an Optical Cavity
• Comprehensive study of amorphous metal oxide and Ta${}_2$O${}_5$-based mixed oxide coatings for gravitational-wave detectors
• Quantum harmonic oscillator spectrum analyzers
• Dynamics of bad-cavity enhanced interaction with cold Sr atoms for laser stabilization
• The effect of fast noise on the fidelity of trapped-ions quantum gates
• Technology for the next gravitational wave detectors
• Absolute Te${}_2$ reference for barium ion at $455.4$nm
• Optical Pumping of TeH+: Implications for the Search for Varying mp/me
• Prospects for Polar Molecular Ion Optical Probe of Varying Proton-Electron Mass Ratio
• Robust Quantum Control via Multipath Interference for Thousandfold Phase Amplification in a Resonant Atom Interferometer
• Optimal entanglement generation in optomechanical systems via Krotov control of covariance matrix dynamics
• Fast control of atom-light interaction in a narrow linewidth cavity
• Optimized continuous dynamical decoupling via differential geometry and machine learning
• Estimation of the Laser Frequency Nosie Spectrum by Continuous Dynamical Decoupling
• A laser with instability reaching $4\times 10^{-17}$ based on a 10-cm-long silicon cavity at sub-5-K temperatures
• Realization of a fast triple-magic all-optical qutrit in strontium-88
• A High-Power Clock Laser Spectrally Tailored for High-Fidelity Quantum State Engineering
• Slow Light Frequency Reference Cavities -- Proof of Concept for Reducing the Frequency Sensitivity Due to Length Fluctuations
• A protocol of potential advantage in the low frequency range to gravitational wave detection with space based optical atomic clocks
• Refocusing two qubit gates with measurements for trapped ions
• Quantum sensors with matter waves for GW observation
• Optimal transfer of entanglement in oscillator chains in non-Markovian open systems