Title :
Frequency stabilized ammonia laser system for probing the 24 THz clock transition of a trapped barium ion
Author :
Siemsen, Klaus J. ; Madej, Alan A. ; Whitford, Bradley G.
Author_Institution :
Inst. for Nat. Meas. Stand., Nat. Res. Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ont., Canada
fDate :
10/1/1995 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The design, performance and frequency stability of an optically pumped ammonia laser operating on the sP(8,6) transition of 15NH3 at 12.48 μm wavelength are discussed. The short term frequency stability was tested by heterodyning two similar lasers. An Allan deviation of 2·10-11 for averaging times from 10-4 s to 1 s was achieved for the free running laser. Absolute values of the laser frequency were obtained by measuring against the NRC H4 hydrogen maser standard with the help of the NRC frequency chain. A scan across a narrow fine-structure transition in a single trapped barium ion provided a final test for the overall stability
Keywords :
ammonia; atomic clocks; demodulation; fine structure; gas lasers; laser frequency stability; laser transitions; measurement standards; optical modulation; optical pumping; radiation pressure; 1 s; 12.48 mum; 15NH3; Allan deviation; NRC H4 hydrogen maser standard; NRC frequency chain; averaging times; clock transition; free running laser; frequency stabilized ammonia laser system; heterodyning; laser frequency stability; laser transitions; measurement standards; narrow fine-structure transition; optically pumped ammonia laser; overall stability; sP(8,6) transition; short term frequency stability; single trapped barium ion; trapped barium ion; Frequency measurement; Hydrogen; Laser excitation; Laser stability; Laser transitions; Optical design; Optical mixing; Optical pumping; Pump lasers; Testing;
Journal_Title :
Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
