Accurate frequency atlas of molecular iodine near 532 nm measured by an optical frequency comb generator

An optical frequency comb generator (OFCG) at 1064 nm with a modulation frequency of 2 GHz is developed for an accurate optical frequency link between iodine absorption lines near 532 nm. With the OFCG, we have measured frequency differences between seventeen ¹²⁷I₂ transitions with a measurement uncertainty of about 240 Hz (relatively 4.3×10⁻¹³), which is mainly contributed from the frequency repeatability of iodine-stabilized Nd:YAG lasers. The measured transitions provide an attractive frequency reference network and are excellent candidates for the practical realization of the meter.     

Demonstration of a HeNe/CH4-based optical molecular clock

We implement a simple optical clock based on the F2(2) [P(7), v3] optical transition in methane. A single femtosecond laser's frequency comb undergoes difference frequency generation to provide an IR comb at 3.39 microm with a null carrier-envelope offset. This IR comb provides a phase-coherent link between the 88-THz optical reference and the rf repetition rate. Comparison of the repetition rate signal with a second femtosecond comb stabilized to molecular iodine shows an instability of 1.2 x 10(-13) at 1 s, limited by microwave detection of the repetition rates. The single-sideband phase noise of the microwave signal, normalized to a carrier frequency of 1 GHz, is below -93 dBc/Hz at 1-Hz offset.     

127)I2在633nm波段的超精细强谱线及稳频半导体激光器

报道了观察到的碘分子（¹²⁷I₂）在633nm波段的5组超精细强谱线,并对每组谱线的频率间距及相应振转能级的跃迁强度作出了计算,结果和实验吻合得很好．利用计算结果,对这5组谱线对应的振转能带作出了甄别．由于这些新谱线比用于氦氖激光器稳频的R（127）11.5跃迁强几百倍,因此利用这些新谱线作为半导体激光稳频的参考谱线,得到了功率为3mW的激光输出,这种半导体激光可成为新型光频标． 关键词：     

Absolute frequency measurements and comparisons in iodine at 735 nm and 772 nm

We report frequency measurements at the rovibronic transition P(42)1-14 (772 nm) and R(114)2-11 (735 nm) from the electronic transition of the iodine molecule ¹²⁷I₂ with the help of a frequency comb as a reference. By using Doppler-free saturation spectroscopy a frequency precision in the 7 × 10⁻¹⁰ region is reached and two iodine cells both operated at 550-600 °C are compared. To relate our results to other measurements, the absolute transition frequency of the hyperfine structure line P(148)1-14 a₁ at 780 nm with an already known transition frequency was also determined.     

Absolute frequency measurement of the iodine-stabilized Ar<Superscript>+</Superscript> laser at 514.6 nm using a femtosecond optical frequency comb

The frequency of ¹²⁷I₂ hyperfine component a₃ of the P(13) 43-0 transition at 514.6 nm has been measured with an optical clockwork based on a femtosecond laser frequency comb generator. The measured frequency at an iodine pressure of 0.12 Pa is 67.3(0.75) kHz higher than the value of 582490603.38(15) MHz, adopted by the CIPM in 2003 [9] but is in a good agreement with the value measured by [29]. In our experiment we used H-maser reference frequency located at BNM-SYRTE Observatoire de Paris and transported to our laboratory by a 43 km optical fibre link. PACS 06.20.-f; 06.20.Fn; 06.30.Bp; 06.30.Ft     

A diode laser system for spectroscopy of the ultranarrow transition in ytterbium atoms

A narrow-line diode laser system has been developed for high-resolution spectroscopy of the magnetic quadrupole transition in ytterbium (Yb) atoms at 507 nm. The system consists of an extended-cavity laser diode at 1014 nm, a tapered amplifier and a periodically poled lithium niobate nonlinear crystal which converts the wavelength from 1014 nm to 507 nm. We have stabilized the laser frequency and reduced the linewidth below 1 kHz by tightly locking the laser to a high-finesse optical cavity. By using the developed laser system, we have successfully observed the ultranarrow transition in Yb atoms. Furthermore, our simple and compact laser system could be a high performance and portable frequency reference using iodine spectra whose linewidth becomes less than 50 kHz around 507 nm. We have also demonstrated spectroscopy of iodine molecules. PACS 32.30.-r; 07.60.-j     

Frequency locking to the center of a 532 nm iodine absorption line by using stimulated brillouin scattering from a single-mode fiber

A simple method for frequency locking a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser to the center of line 1109 of the iodine absorption spectrum is described. The 31.6 GHz frequency shift provided by stimulated-Brillouin scattering from a single-mode silica fiber provides a probe signal that lies on the edge of line 1105 of the iodine spectrum. We adjust the frequency of the laser to maintain the transmission of a 5 cm iodine absorption cell at a value that places the unshifted laser line in the center of line 1109.     

Iodine stabilised He-Ne Laser

A single mode He-Ne laser operating at 6328 Å is used with an iodine cell in the cavity to detect the absorption components of iodine falling within the gain curve of the laser line. Experimental details are given for locking the frequency of the laser line with one of the hyperfine components of the iodine absorption line, using a servo-control system. The system uses the technique of detecting the first and third harmonics of the modulation frequency.     

Intermittent frequency offset lock of a symmetric three-mode stabilized He-Ne laser to an iodine stabilized He-Ne laser

There is a need for an intense, unmodulated single-frequency stabilized laser light that guarantees absolute optical frequency in a rapid laser calibration or an ultra-high resolution interferometer. To obtain such a light, we developed a new laser system that uses an intermittent frequency offset lock of a symmetric three-mode stabilized He-Ne laser to an iodine stabilized He-Ne laser. The proposed laser system provides two operational modes: (1) independent and (2) slave mode. In the independent mode, frequency of the three-mode laser is stabilized via control of frequency difference between two intermode beats. The resultant output is a single longitudinal mode light of maximum intensity that locates at the top of the gain curve. Frequency instability of 8X10^-12 (at a sampling time of 100 s) which is better than conventional stabilized lasers is attained in the independent mode. Slow optical frequency drift during the independent mode is periodically corrected by the offset lock to the iodine stabilized laser (slave mode), resulting in accurate reset of the frequency drift. After reset of the frequency deviation, the three-mode laser is again operated in the independent mode. Due to such intermittent offset lock, duty factor of the iodine stabilized laser was reduced to a few % of continuous operation.     

A proposed laboratory experiment to measure Ġ/G

An experiment is proposed in which the length of a laser cavity depends on the force of gravity. A change in the gravitational constant will cause a change in the frequency of the laser, which may be measured relative to a reference laser. If an iodine stabilized He-Ne laser is used as the referenceG/G can be measured to an accuracy of 4×10^–12 yr^–1.This essay received an honorable mention (1981) from the Gravity Research Foundation-Ed.     

Absolute frequency measurement of iodine lines with a femtosecond optical synthesizer

We have used a single laser femtosecond optical frequency synthesizer together with a widely tunable Nd:YAG laser to measure the absolute frequency of several absorption lines in molecular iodine around 532 nm. The use of two different repetition frequencies allows us to determine the number of modes used for the frequency measurement unambiguously. The lines also provide data for the determination of improved ro-vibrational constants of the iodine molecule. Received: 3 July 2001 / Published online: 19 September 2001     

Flow measurements based on Rayleigh scattering and Fabry-Perot interferometer

Flow diagnostics based on molecular Rayleigh scattering are discussed along with the results of a feasibility study to non-intrusively measure flow properties in a small supersonic wind tunnel. The technique uses an injection seeded, frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser tuned to an absorption band of iodine. The molecular Rayleigh scattered light is filtered with an iodine cell to block light at the laser frequency. The Doppler-shifted Rayleigh scattered light that passes through the iodine cell is analyzed with a planar mirror Fabry-Perot interferometer used in a static imaging mode. An intensified CCD camera is used to record the images. The images are analyzed at several subregions, where the flow properties are determined. Each image is obtained with a single laser pulse, giving instantaneous measurements.     

High pressure Raman study of bromine and iodine: soft phonon in the incommensurate phase

A new phase of solid bromine was discovered at a pressure region above 80 GPa by Raman scattering experiments with a diamond anvil high-pressure cell. This phase was found to be the same as the iodine phase V with an incommensurate structure [Nature (London) 423, 971 (2003)] which appears between the molecular phase I and the monatomic phase II. In the incommensurate phases of both bromine and iodine, Raman active soft modes were clearly found in the low frequency region. The data suggest that the monoatomic phase II occurs above 30 and 115 GPa for iodine and bromine, respectively.     

Compact all-solid-state continuous-wave single-frequency UV source with frequency stabilization for laser cooling of Be<Superscript>+</Superscript> ions

A compact setup for generation, frequency stabilization, and precision tuning of UV laser radiation at 313 nm was developed. The source is based on frequency quintupling of a C-band telecom laser at 1565 nm, amplified in a fiber amplifier. The maximum output power of the source at 313 nm is 100 mW. An additional feature of the source is the high-power output at the fundamental and the intermediate second- and third-harmonic wavelengths. The source was tested by demonstration of laser cooling of Be⁺ ions in an ion-trap apparatus. The output of the source at the third-harmonic wavelength (522 nm) was used for stabilization of the laser frequency to molecular iodine transitions. Sub-Doppler spectroscopy and frequency measurements of hyperfine transitions in molecular iodine were carried out in the range relevant for the Be⁺ laser cooling application.     

Absolute frequency measurements of wavelength standards 532 nm, 543 nm, 633 nm and 1540 nm

This paper describes the results of absolute frequency measurements of primary wavelength standards 633 nm, 543 nm, 532 nm, (iodine stabilized) and 1540 nm (acetylene stabilized) in CMI. The values obtained with Menlo Systems femtosecond frequency comb in CMI are compared with previous measurements of the same standards in BIPM, BEV and MPQ. Measured sub-Doppler linewidths and relative intensities of several hyperfine spectral components of iodine molecule are also presented.     

碘分子吸收光谱研究

我们用HRD-1型双光栅单色仪记录了碘分子在可见光区域的吸收光谱。确定了大量的带头,由此得出了碘分子的离解限、离解能、力常数和振动基频。实验结果与理论结果很符合。     

Experimental quantification of cavitation yield revisited: focus on high frequency ultrasound reactors

Acoustic cavitation plays an important role in enhancing the reaction rate of chemical processes in sonochemical systems. However, quantification of cavitation intensity in sonochemical systems is generally limited to low frequency systems. In this study, an empirical determination of cavitation yield in high frequency ultrasound systems was performed by measuring the amount of iodine liberated from the oxidation of potassium iodide (KI) solution at 1.7 and 2.4 MHz. Experiments for determining cavitation were carried out at various solute (KI) concentrations under constant temperature, obtained by direct cooling of the solution and variable temperature conditions, in the absence of external cooling. Cavitation yield measurements, reported in this work, extend previously reported results and lend credence to the two step reaction pathway in high frequency systems. Additionally, the concentration of KI and temperature affect the cavitation yield of a system such that the iodine production is proportional to both conditions. It is proposed that direct cooling of sonicated KI solution may be advantageous for optimization of cavitation intensity in high frequency sonochemical reactors.     

Characteristics of 20 year old iodine cell and compact iodine stabilized laser

Spectral quality and reliability of four kinds of¹²⁷ I ₂ cells for an wavelengtn standard were investigated. A 20 year old 10 cm long sealed off iodine cell has shown its long life and had sufficient absorption characteristics comparable to the newly made three cells in regard to spectral line width and signal-to-noise ratio of the absorption signal. A dispersion of absolute frequencies of the three cells including the 20 year old cell is in a range of 35 kHz, which is equivalent to a frequency reproducibility of 7.4X10^-11. A compact iodine stabilized 633 nm He-Ne laser with a 23 cm long resonator and 4 cm iodine cell has been developed. Its frequency stability has been estimated to be 9X10^-13 by the Allan deviation at integration time of 4000 s. The laser supplies 14 wavelength standards being locked at iodine absorption lines from a ton.     

Frequency stability and reproducibility of iodine stabilised He-Ne laser at 633 nm

The frequency of a 633 nm He-Ne laser is stabilised on a hyperfine-structure-component of natural iodine vapour. The third harmonic component of an applied modulation frequency is detected and a servosystem is used to lock the laser frequency to the zero-crossing of the third harmonic component. The stability and the reproducibility of the laser are determined by beat frequency experiment.     

Observation of iodine transitions using the second and third harmonics of a 1.5-μm laser

This paper presents spectroscopic measurements of iodine at 778 nm and 518 nm performed by second and third harmonics of a 1.5-μm diode laser, generated by quasi-phase matching in a periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide. Sub-Doppler spectroscopy by a 780-nm source was also demonstrated, and shows the potential of the system to reach high levels of frequency stability by locking the laser to the iodine transitions. The suggested method significantly improves the number of frequency references available for stabilizing 1550-nm lasers. Received: 4 February 2002 / Revised version: 14 May 2002 / Published online: 8 August 2002