Broadband lasers for photo-ionization and repumping of trapped ions

Abstract

A frequency-stable, broadband laser is presented for experiments on trapped ions. Since the design is based on widely available semiconductor optical amplifier technology, similar lasers can be realized for virtually any wavelength in the near-infrared, and the coherence properties and output power allow for efficient second harmonic generation. No closed-loop frequency stabilization for addressing Doppler- or naturally-broadened, dipole-allowed transitions is needed, and the light source can be turned on and off during a measurement cycle with sub-microsecond response time. As a case study, a 921.7-nm laser with an output power of 20mW and a linewidth of 10GHz is realized, which is then frequency doubled to 460.9nm for excitation of strontium as the first step in photo-ionization. The excitation efficiency is compared to that achievable with a narrow-linewidth distributed Bragg reflector laser as well as to theory.

JOSA B accepted manuscript (9 pages, 5 figures)

References in corpus (5)

• Quantum computing with trapped ions
• A vapor cell based on dispensers for laser spectroscopy
• Broadband, unpolarized repumping and clearout light sources for Sr${}^{+}$ single-ion clocks
• Dark-state suppression and optimization of laser cooling and fluorescence in a trapped alkaline-earth-metal single ion
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