A compact laser system for a portable atom interferometry gravimeter

• Published in: Review of scientific instruments 2019-04, Vol.90 (4), p.043104-043104
• Main Authors: Luo, Qin, Zhang, Heng, Zhang, Ke, Duan, Xiao-Chun, Hu, Zhong-Kun, Chen, Le-Le, Zhou, Min-Kang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analog circuits; Atom interferometry; Feedback circuits; Frequency control; Gravimetry; Interferometry; Lasers; Scientific apparatus & instruments; Second harmonic generation; Sidebands; Weight
• ISSN: 0034-6748; 1089-7623
• DOI: 10.1063/1.5053132

A compact laser system for a portable 87Rb atom interferometry gravimeter has been demonstrated in this work. This laser system is based on frequency doubling of a single seed laser at the wavelength of 1560 nm. The frequency of the seed laser is controlled by a digital unit with an analog feedback circuit. By using this frequency control method, the frequency of the laser system can be shifted over 1 GHz. Based on this method, the Raman frequency can be locked on the F = 3 → F′ = 4 transition of 85Rb atoms. Moreover, the Raman sideband and the repumping laser are generated by a phase modulator, and it can generate different laser frequencies to meet the requirements of a typical atom interferometer. Additional sidebands in the Raman beam produced from the phase modulator are optimized and reduced, allowing us to observe atom interference with a free evolution time of 320 ms. The control unit including the laser system has been integrated into a box with a volume of 1.5 m × 0.6 m × 0.6 m, and the weight of which is only 150 kg. Using this compact optical scheme, our atomic gravimeter has achieved a sensitivity of 53 μGal/Hz1/2 and a resolution of better than 1 μGal (1 μGal = 1 × 10−8 m/s2) in an integration time of 3000 s.