Optical cavities for Atomic Physics experiments

Author(s)

David Rodríguez Fernández

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Carlos.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC/BT)
• Defense date: 2023-05-02

Examining board members

Luis Gustavo Marcassa; Jorge Douglas Massayuki Kondo; Marcio Heraclyto Gonçalves de Miranda

• Advisor: Luis Gustavo Marcassa

Abstract

Highly frequency-stabilized lasers have proven to be fundamental tools in building atomic clocks and detecting gravitational waves. The most efficient way to obtain such stability is to use the Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) technique, which uses the resonant frequencies of optical cavities as a reference. In this work, we built and evaluated the performance of two stable optical cavities of medium finesse (𝔉~1000) for the stabilization of four lasers, two with a wavelength of 680 nm, and two with a wavelength of 780 and 960 nm, respectively. The former will be used as cooling lasers in Rb2 molecules, while the latter in experiments with Rydberg atoms. The cavities have as a fundamental element glass spacers with an ultra-low coefficient of thermal expansion (ULE), whose temperature is actively controlled. Our results indicate that a long-term drift of 1,3 MHz/day was obtained, which will improve the accuracy of our experiments at a relatively low cost. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/23510-0 - Optical cavity for Rydberg atom experiments
• Grantee: David Rodríguez Fernández
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master