We evaluate a dual-frequency and dual-polarization optically-pumped semiconductor laser emitting at 852 nm as a new laser source for compact atomic clocks based on the coherent population trapping (CPT) technique. The frequency difference between the laser modes is tunable to 9.2 GHz corresponding to the ground state hyperfine-split of Cs. Impact of the laser noise has been investigated. Laser relative intensity noise is limited by the pump-𝑅𝐼𝑁 transfer to a level of - 110 dB/Hz. Laser frequency noise shows excess mechanical and technical noise resulting in a laser linewidth of 1 MHz at 1 s in lock operation. The noise performance and spectral properties of the laser are already adequate to realize CPT experiments and should result in Allan standard-deviation of the clock below 1 × 10^-12 at 1 second.

Date Published: 4 March 2015
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 9349, Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VECSELs) V, 93490S (4 March 2015); doi: 10.1117/12.2077663

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9349:
Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VECSELs) V
Mircea Guina, Editor(s)