Dual microwave frequency modulation of the VCSEL injection current for a CPT-based atomic clock.

Previously, we have proposed a method to control the emission spectrum of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) with the synchronized modulation of the injection current at single and doubled frequencies. In this work, the above method is used to improve the metrological characteristics of the coherent population trapping (CPT) resonance in Rb. The dual-frequency (DF) modulation reduces the carrier power and suppresses the light shift of the resonance frequency, if it is unattainable with the single-frequency modulation.

Control of the VCSEL spectrum by dual microwave frequency modulation.

We propose and investigate a method for controlling the spectrum of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser by simultaneous modulation of the injection current at single and doubled frequencies. We experimentally demonstrate the ability to control the power asymmetry of the first-order sidebands and to suppress the carrier by the proposed method. These possibilities are beneficial to improve frequency stability of atomic clocks based on the effect of coherent population trapping.

Specific features of the VCSEL spectra under microwave current modulation.

The optical spectrum of a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser under microwave frequency current modulation is asymmetric in most cases, i.e., sidebands equidistant from the carrier have unequal powers.

Effect of the buffer gases on the light shift suppression possibility.

We theoretically and experimentally demonstrate that the light shift of the coherent population trapping resonance frequency depends on the buffer gases pressure. The light shift suppression becomes impossible when a certain value of the buffer gases pressure is exceeded. We estimate the minimal dimensions of an atomic cell at which the zero light shift and the lowest ground-state relaxation rate can be achieved simultaneously.

Fiber-optic magnetic-field imaging.

We demonstrate a scanning fiber-optic probe for magnetic-field imaging where nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers are coupled to an optical fiber integrated with a two-wire microwave transmission line. The electron spin of NV centers in a diamond microcrystal attached to the tip of the fiber probe is manipulated by a frequency-modulated microwave field and is initialized by laser radiation transmitted through the optical tract of the fiber probe. The two-dimensional profile of the magnetic field is imaged with a high speed and high sensitivity using the photoluminescence spin-readout return from NV centers, captured and delivered by the same optical fiber.

Fiber-optic magnetometry with randomly oriented spins.

We demonstrate fiber-optic magnetometry using a random ensemble of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in nanodiamond coupled to a tapered optical fiber, which provides a waveguide delivery of optical fields for the initialization, polarization, and readout of the electron spin in NV centers.

Electron spin manipulation and readout through an optical fiber.

The electron spin of nitrogen--vacancy (NV) centers in diamond offers a solid-state quantum bit and enables high-precision magnetic-field sensing on the nanoscale. Implementation of these approaches in a fiber format would offer unique opportunities for a broad range of technologies ranging from quantum information to neuroscience and bioimaging. Here, we demonstrate an ultracompact fiber-optic probe where a diamond microcrystal with a well-defined orientation of spin quantization NV axes is attached to the fiber tip, allowing the electron spins of NV centers to be manipulated, polarized, and read out through a fiber-optic waveguide integrated with a two-wire microwave transmission line.

Subkilohertz enhanced-power diode-laser spectrometer in the visible.

We report on a high-performance diode-laser spectrometer operating near 657 nm with narrow linewidth (<0.6 kHz) , enhanced power (as much as 40 mW), and low drift (<10 Hz/s) . The spectrometer comprised an extended-cavity diode-laser frequency stabilized to a high-finesse optical resonator and a broad-area antireflection coated laser diode as an amplifier with a single-lobe emission pattern of good spatial purity.

Intracavity electromagnetically induced transparency.

The effect of intracavity electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) on the properties of optical resonators and active laser devices is discussed theoretically. Pronounced frequency pulling and cavity-linewidth narrowing are predicted. The EIT effect can be used to reduce classical and quantum-phase noise of the beat note of an optical oscillator substantially.

Ac-Stark shifts in the nonlinear Faraday effect.

The frequency of the dark resonance in coherent population trapping experiments has been measured as a function of the degree of ellipticity and the intensity of the probe light. The results have been used to find the quantum limit of sensitivity of an optical magnetometer based on the nonlinear Faraday effect.

Experimental preparation of pure superposition states of atoms via elliptically polarized bichromatic radiation.

We propose a simple and effective way of creating pure dark superposition states. The generation of pure states is carried out by using bichromatic radiation with controllable polarization ellipticity. We experimentally confirm analytic formulas for polarization ellipticity to obtain m-m pure dark states in the system of Zeeman sublevels of alkali atoms.