Fast, precise, and widely tunable frequency control of an optical parametric oscillator referenced to a frequency comb
arXiv:1702.03895 · doi:10.1063/1.4977049
Abstract
Optical frequency combs (OFC) provide a convenient reference for the frequency stabilization of continuous-wave lasers. We demonstrate a frequency control method relying on tracking over a wide range and stabilizing the beat note between the laser and the OFC. The approach combines fast frequency ramps on a millisecond timescale in the entire mode-hop free tuning range of the laser and precise stabilization to single frequencies. We apply it to a commercially available optical parametric oscillator (OPO) and demonstrate tuning over more than 60 GHz with a ramping speed up to 3 GHz/ms. Frequency ramps spanning 15 GHz are performed in less than 10 ms, with the OPO instantly relocked to the OFC after the ramp at any desired frequency. The developed control hardware and software is able to stabilize the OPO to sub-MHz precision and to perform sequences of fast frequency ramps automatically.
arXiv comment8 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Review of Scientific Instruments
References in corpus (9)
- A High Phase-Space-Density Gas of Polar Molecules
- Sub-millikelvin dipolar molecules in a radio-frequency magneto-optical trap
- Optoelectrical cooling of polar molecules to sub-millikelvin temperatures
- Opto-Electrical Cooling of Polar Molecules
- Storage and Adiabatic Cooling of Polar Molecules in a Microstructured Trap
- Two-Photon Pathway to Ultracold Ground State Molecules of NaK
- Phase-predictable tuning of single-frequency optical synthesizers
- Rotational cooling of trapped polyatomic molecules
- A method for independent and continuous tuning of lasers phase-locked to the same frequency comb