Hannover 2010 – scientific programme
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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik
Q 7: Precision Measurements and Metrology I
Q 7.3: Talk
Monday, March 8, 2010, 14:30–14:45, M 11
Development of a sub-Hz laser system for optical clocks — •Christian Hagemann1, Thomas Kessler1, Uwe Sterr1, Fritz Riehle1, Michael J. Martin2, and Jun Ye2 — 1Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt and Centre for Quantum Engineering and Space-Time Research QUEST, Bundesallee 100, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany — 2JILA, NIST and University of Colorado, 440 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0440, USA
Today's best optical clocks are outperforming the best primary Cs frequency standards. The short-term performance of such clocks is limited by the frequency stability of the lasers that are used to interrogate the atomic or ionic quantum transition used as the pendulum of the atomic clock. In such setups a interrogation laser is locked to a high performance cavity for frequency stabilization.
In the QUEST framework we are developing a novel single-crystal silicon cavity operated at a temperature of 120 K aiming at achieving a stabilized laser linewidth well below 1 Hz. In this talk we present the design of the silicon cavity and current setup, comprising the cryostat as well as the laser system. Possible noise sources limiting the frequency stability such as mechanical vibrations, temperature drifts and thermal noise will be discussed.