Takeshi Ikegami

Measuring the frequency of a Sr optical lattice clock using a 120 km coherent optical transfer.

We demonstrate a precision frequency measurement using a phase-stabilized 120 km optical fiber link over a physical distance of 50 km. The transition frequency of the (87)Sr optical lattice clock at the University of Tokyo is measured to be 429228004229874.1(2.4) Hz referenced to international atomic time. The results demonstrate the excellent functions of the intercity optical fiber link and the great potential of optical lattice clocks for use in the redefinition of the second.

Optical frequency link between an acetylene stabilized laser at 1542 nm and an Rb stabilized laser at 778 nm using a two-color mode-locked fiber laser

Abstract We have demonstrated optical frequency link of two frequency-stabilized laser diodes operating at 1542 nm (a rotational-vibrational line of isotope acetylene molecule) and 778 nm (an Rb two photon transition) using a two-color mode-locked fiber laser. The laser produces a frequency comb (300 fs pulse) in the 1560 nm region and, through the second harmonic generation (SHG) process, another frequency comb (100 fs pulse) in the 780 nm region. Beat note signals have been observed between each of the stabilized laser radiation and a mode of the mode-locked fiber laser in the vicinity of the stabilized laser frequency. The S/N ratios were 25 dB and 30 dB with 100 kHz resolution bandwidth for beat notes at λ=1542 nm and λ=778 nm, respectively. Preliminary result has shown the potential of the system for frequency measurements with the accuracy of below 100 kHz. This limitation will be overcome by improving the frequency counting system using a phase-locked tracking oscillator and installing a PZT element in the fiber laser cavity. Supposing the accuracy of the mode spacing is similar to the case of a mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser, the accuracy of kHz level is very presumable.

Short Term Frequency Stability Tests of Two Cryogenic Sapphire Oscillators

Ultra-high short-term frequency stability has been realized in microwave oscillators based on liquid helium cooled sapphire resonators which operate on the same Whispering Gallery mode. Two cryogenic sapphire oscillators were built to evaluate their stability at short averaging times. These oscillators exhibited a fractional frequency stability of 1.1×10-15 at an averaging time of 1 s, which is more than 100 times better than that of a hydrogen maser. For averaging times between 2 and 640 s the measured oscillator fractional frequency instability was below 10-15 with a minimum of 5.5×10-16 at an averaging time of 20 s. The noise floors of the control servos which contribute to the short-term frequency stability are also discussed.

Doppler-free spectroscopy using a continuous-wave optical frequency synthesizer

A continuous-wave (cw) optical frequency synthesizer is demonstrated by using a monolithic-type cw optical parametric oscillator (cw-OPO) and an optical frequency comb. The cw-OPO is phase locked to an optical frequency comb that is phase locked to an atomic clock. The output frequency of the cw-OPO is frequency shifted with an electro-optic modulator, which makes it possible to tune the frequency continuously over 10 GHz. Furthermore, Doppler-free spectroscopy is performed using the optical frequency synthesizer for a cesium D1 line at 895 nm. The observed linewidth of 5 MHz is the natural linewidth of cesium. The center frequency of the line is consistent with a previous report.

Phase locking of a continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator to an optical frequency comb for optical frequency synthesis

A continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator (OPO) was phase locked to an optical frequency comb in the 830-nm region. The optical frequency of the OPO was controlled by changing the cavity length of the pump laser. The residual phase noise under phase locking was 220 mradrms and the energy concentration to the carrier was 95%. Furthermore, the optical frequency fluctuations of a free-running OPO were measured by using an optical frequency comb that was phase locked to an atomic clock. The measured fluctuations were around 10 MHz in an hour.

Phase-coherent optical frequency division by 3 of 532-nm laser light with a continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator

Phase-locked 3:1 division of an optical frequency was achieved with a continuous-wave monolithic optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped by a 532-nm Nd:YAG laser, by use of 5% MgO-doped LiNbO(3) as a nonlinear optical crystal. The OPO generated signal light (798 nm) with 4-mW power and idler light (1596 nm) with 3-mW power for a pump power of 68 mW. Approximately 2microW of second harmonics (SHs) of the idler light was produced by external-cavity-enhanced SH generation by use of a periodically poled LiNbO(3) crystal. The beat signal between the signal light and the SH of the idler light was observed with a signal-to-noise ratio of 40 dB at a 10-kHz bandwidth and was successfully phase locked to a signal from a synthesizer through the electro-optic effect of the crystal.

Accuracy of an Optical Parametric Oscillator as an Optical Frequency Divider

Abstract The coherence and the accuracy of a cw optical parametric oscillator (OPO) as an optical frequency divider was measured. The phase coherence between the pump and the signal or the idler was confirmed. The accuracy of the OPO as an optical frequency divider was found to be better than 5 × 10−18.

Light shifts in an optically pumped Cs beam frequency standard

Frequency shifts caused by light, which are called light shifts in an optically pumped Cs beam frequency standard, were estimated. Frequency shifts due to monolithic light were measured by introducing laser light along the Cs beam. The relative dependence of the shift on the laser frequency agreed very well with the theory, but the absolute shift was between one and two times that of the theory. The light shifts due to the optical pumping and optical detection in the standard are estimated to be less than 2*10/sup -15/ and 1*10/sup -16/, respectively, and both are negligible at the present state of development. >

Characteristics of an optically pumped Cs frequency standard at the NRLM

Characteristics of an optically pumped Cs frequency standard developed at the National Research Laboratory of Metrology (NRLM) are reported. The short-term frequency stability was estimated to be 1.1*10/sup -12// square root pi when the optical feedback technique was used for laser diode stabilization. Frequency shifts due to microwave power and pumping conditions were measured and their characteristics are described. >

Atomic fountain clock with very high frequency stability employing a pulse-tube-cryocooled sapphire oscillator

The frequency stability of an atomic fountain clock was significantly improved by employing an ultra-stable local oscillator and increasing the number of atoms detected after the Ramsey interrogation, resulting in a measured Allan deviation of 8.3 × 10-14τ-1/2. A cryogenic sapphire oscillator using an ultra-low-vibration pulse-tube cryocooler and cryostat, without the need for refilling with liquid helium, was applied as a local oscillator and a frequency reference. High atom number was achieved by the high power of the cooling laser beams and optical pumping to the Zeeman sublevel mF = 0 employed for a frequency measurement, although vapor-loaded optical molasses with the simple (001) configuration was used for the atomic fountain clock. The resulting stability is not limited by the Dick effect as it is when a BVA quartz oscillator is used as the local oscillator. The stability reached the quantum projection noise limit to within 11%. Using a combination of a cryocooled sapphire oscillator and techniques to enhance the atom number, the frequency stability of any atomic fountain clock, already established as primary frequency standard, may be improved without opening its vacuum chamber.