SIMULTANEOUS DUAL LASER STABILIZATION FOR STRONTIUM ATOM INTERFEROMETRY

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Authors
Spakowski, Matthew D.
Subjects
atom interferometry
laser cooling
strontium
magneto-optical trap
Advisors
Narducci, Frank A.
Date of Issue
2022-09
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
The use of strontium in an atom interferometer presents the opportunity to perform detailed measurements of gravitational fields, rotation rates, and clock transitions as well as other natural phenomena. Strontium can be particularly effective in atom interferometry experiments for two reasons. The first is that the intrinsic magnetic properties of strontium result in less sensitivity of the transition frequencies to magnetic noise, allowing for better measurements. Second, strontium atoms can be cooled to a lower temperature just through ordinary Doppler cooling than other atoms typically used in interferometry (e.g., rubidium). A lower temperature means less initial kinetic energy and hence lower spatial dispersion over the course of an experiment. A magneto-optical trap consisting of two primary cooling lasers and two repump lasers cools and confines strontium atoms for use in the interferometer. This thesis focuses on the repump lasers and includes the design and performance of the optical system that frequency stabilizes each laser. The system demonstrated the ability to simultaneously frequency lock the two repump lasers to the degree necessary to form a strontium magneto-optical trap.
Type
Thesis
Description
Department
Physics (PH)
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Army Research Office, Research Triangle, NC, 277703
Funder
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.
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