Chinese Optics Letters, Volume. 12, Issue 2, 021401(2014)

Frequency locking of a 399-nm laser referenced to fluorescence spectrum of an ytterbium atomic beam

Yun Long, Zhuanxian Xiong, Xi Zhang, Mengjiao Zhang, Baolong Lv, and Lingxiang He

The laser cooling of ytterbium (Yb) atoms needs a 399-nm laser which operates on the strong 1S0 -1P1 transition and can be locked at the desired frequencies for different Yb isotopes. We demonstrate a frequency locking method using the fluorescence spectrum of an Yb atomic beam as a frequency reference. For unresolved fluorescence peaks, we make the spectrum of the even isotopes vanish by using the strong angular-dependence of the fluorescence radiations; the remained closely-spaced peaks are thus clearly resolved and able to serve as accurate frequency references. A computer-controlled servo system is used to lock the laser frequency to a single fluorescence peak of interest, and a frequency stability of 304 kHz is achieved. This frequency-locked laser enables us to realize stable blue magneto-optic-traps (MOT) for all abundant Yb isotopes.

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Yun Long, Zhuanxian Xiong, Xi Zhang, Mengjiao Zhang, Baolong Lv, Lingxiang He. Frequency locking of a 399-nm laser referenced to fluorescence spectrum of an ytterbium atomic beam[J]. Chinese Optics Letters, 2014, 12(2): 021401

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Paper Information

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Received: Aug. 16, 2013

Accepted: Nov. 28, 2013

Published Online: Jan. 28, 2014

The Author Email:

DOI:10.3788/col201412.021401

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