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Single-Photon Atomic Cooling - Raizen Lab - The University of ...

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eams. For example the MOT and optical molasses beams are tuned 15 MHz<br />

and 50 MHz to the red <strong>of</strong> the F = 2 → F ′ = 3 transition, respectively.<br />

3.2.1.2 Slave Lasers<br />

<strong>The</strong> MOT master laser does not produce enough optical power to oper-<br />

ate the upper and lower MOT. <strong>The</strong> frequency stabilization process described<br />

in the previous section reduces the output power <strong>of</strong> the laser diode used in<br />

the MOT master laser from its free running level (∼ 100 mW) to roughly<br />

∼ 30 mW. One method <strong>of</strong> increasing the available power at a particular fre-<br />

quency is to use “slave lasers” frequency locked to a master oscillator. Our<br />

experimental apparatus utilizes three slave lasers, each frequency locked to the<br />

MOT master laser output. Once locked, the result is three diode lasers with<br />

the same spectral properties as the MOT master laser outputting an optical<br />

power near their free-running level.<br />

Similar to the MOT master laser, the slave lasers are designed around<br />

a very inexpensive laser diode. <strong>The</strong> diode used in each slave laser (Digi-Key:<br />

GH0781JA2C) outputs a single-mode near the nominal operating wavelength<br />

<strong>of</strong> 784 nm. Even though the nominal output wavelength is 784 nm, it can be<br />

tuned with temperature to the needed value <strong>of</strong> 780 nm. <strong>The</strong> maximum free-<br />

running optical power <strong>of</strong> these laser diodes is 120 mW operating at an injection<br />

current <strong>of</strong> 167 mA.<br />

Like the MOT master laser diode, each slave laser diode is placed in a<br />

collimation tube (Thorlabs: LT230P-B) which is inserted into a bronze holder.<br />

105

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