PID Control for Laser Locking and Stabilization

Description/Abstract/Artist Statement

Lasers are everywhere in the field of experimental atomic physics and are used to manipulate and control atomic states in applications such as high-precision spectroscopy, laser-cooling to ultracold temperatures, and performing quantum gates on qubits. However, these processes require precise stabilization of a laser’s wavelength, due to drift caused by fluctuations in the ambient environment, and can even lead to mode hops by several GHz. In this study, we developed and demonstrated the effectiveness of a Proportional Derivative Integral (PID) control loop at locking a commercial external cavity diode laser onto a specified wavelength. The PID controller effectively countered any drift in the laser’s output, while increasing its accuracy from a range of ±10 fm to ± 6 fm. Additionally, the PID can pull the laser to a new wavelength within 100 ms enabling laser scans of atomic lineshapes. This program can be used to streamline the use of the laser in the lab, allowing for more sophisticated experiments such as resonantly driving atomic transition.

Presenting Author Name/s

Joshua Wager

Faculty Advisor/Mentor

Dr. Matt Grau

Faculty Advisor/Mentor Department

Physics

College Affiliation

College of Sciences

Presentation Type

Poster

Disciplines

Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics | Optics | Quantum Physics

Session Title

Poster Session

Location

Learning Commons Lobby @ Perry Library

Start Date

3-30-2024 8:30 AM

End Date

3-30-2024 10:00 AM

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 
Mar 30th, 8:30 AM Mar 30th, 10:00 AM

PID Control for Laser Locking and Stabilization

Learning Commons Lobby @ Perry Library

Lasers are everywhere in the field of experimental atomic physics and are used to manipulate and control atomic states in applications such as high-precision spectroscopy, laser-cooling to ultracold temperatures, and performing quantum gates on qubits. However, these processes require precise stabilization of a laser’s wavelength, due to drift caused by fluctuations in the ambient environment, and can even lead to mode hops by several GHz. In this study, we developed and demonstrated the effectiveness of a Proportional Derivative Integral (PID) control loop at locking a commercial external cavity diode laser onto a specified wavelength. The PID controller effectively countered any drift in the laser’s output, while increasing its accuracy from a range of ±10 fm to ± 6 fm. Additionally, the PID can pull the laser to a new wavelength within 100 ms enabling laser scans of atomic lineshapes. This program can be used to streamline the use of the laser in the lab, allowing for more sophisticated experiments such as resonantly driving atomic transition.