Düsseldorf 2007 – scientific programme

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 30: Poster Nichtlineare optische Effekte und Lichtquellen

Q 30.11: Poster

Tuesday, March 20, 2007, 16:30–18:30, Poster C

A precise laser spectrometer for optical cavities — •Simone Bux, Sebastian Slama, Gordon Krenz, Claus Zimmermann, and Philippe Courteille — Physikalisches Institut der Universität Tübingen, Deutschland

We analyze the coupled dynamics of ultracold atomic clouds interacting with the modes of an optical high-finesse resonator. Therefore, a precise control of the laser frequency is necessary. To avoid excessive heating of the atomic cloud by Rayleigh scattering, the light should be tuned far away from an atomic resonance and the amount of injected laser power should be low. In practice, however, to generate collective coupling, the atom-light detuning has to be sufficiently small. Also, the stabilization of the laser to a cavity resonance requires a minimum amount of injected light.

We present a simple scheme for a laser spectrometer circumventing this problem. We are using two lasers, one probing the cavity resonance on a higher TEM-mode not interfering with the atoms. The other one is close to an atomic resonance and phase-coherently stabilized on the first laser, so that it can be tuned over a cavity resonance. Furthermore, it can be switched quickly. We will present first experimental results of this locking scheme.