Method and apparatus for locking laser wavelength to an atomic t

Coherent light generators – Particular beam control device – Having particular beam control circuit component

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372 37, 372 56, 372106, 372 38, 372 32, H01S 313

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active

053902033

ABSTRACT:
An apparatus and method for stabilizing laser light wavelength relative to resonant optical absorption works with both continuous wave and pulsed lasers and employs the phenomenon of Zeeman energy level splitting to provide a error signal indicative of both the direction and magnitude of wavelength error.
A laser system including a wavelength adjusting means produces laser light at a wavelength which differs by an adjustable amount from a resonant absorption wavelength of a selected substance. A first portion of the laser light is propagated through a right circular polarizing means to provide right circularly polarized (RCP) laser light. RCP laser light is propagated through a first volume occupied by the selected substance, said first volume being disposed in a magnetic field. The magnetic field vector is substantially parallel to the direction of laser light propagation within the first volume. A second portion of the laser light is propagated through a left circular polarizing means to provide left circularly polarized (LCP) light. LCP light is propagated through a second volume occupied by the selected substance, the second volume being disposed likewise in a magnetic field with magnetic field vector substantially parallel to the line of laser light propagation within the volume.
First detecting means is provided to selectively detect fluorescence light produced by RCP laser light and produce a first signal. Second detecting means is provided to selectively detect fluorescence light produced by LCP laser light and produce a second signal.
A signal processing means is adapted to process the first signal and the second signal and to produce an error signal indicating the direction and magnitude of difference between the laser light wavelength and the desired wavelength. The error signal is converted into a controlling signal which is provided to the wavelength adjusting means to stabilize the wavelength of the laser light at the desired value.

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patent: 4685111 (1987-08-01), Baer
patent: 4896324 (1990-01-01), Ball et al.
patent: 4912716 (1990-03-01), Mead
patent: 4975918 (1990-12-01), Morton
patent: 5014278 (1991-05-01), Deki
patent: 5042042 (1991-08-01), Hori et al.
patent: 5063568 (1991-11-01), Chiba et al.
patent: 5107511 (1992-04-01), Nakatani et al.

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