A simple laser locking system based on a field-programmable gate array
Abstract
Frequency stabilization of laser light is crucial in both scientific and industrial applications. Technological developments now allow analog laser stabilization systems to be replaced with digital electronics such as field-programmable gate arrays, which have recently been utilized to develop such locking systems. We have developed a frequency stabilization system based on a field-programmable gate array, with emphasis on hardware simplicity, which offers a user-friendly alternative to commercial and previous home-built solutions. Frequency modulation, lock-in detection and a proportional-integral-derivative controller are programmed on the field-programmable gate array and only minimal additional components are required to frequency stabilize a laser. The locking system is administered from a host-computer which provides comprehensive, long-distance control through a versatile interface. Various measurements were performed to characterize the system. The linewidth of the locked laser was measured to be with a settling time of . The system can thus fully match laser systems currently in use for atom trapping and cooling applications.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1607.02860,
title = {A simple laser locking system based on a field-programmable gate array},
author = {Nils B. Jørgensen and Danny Birkmose and Kristian Trelborg and Lars Wacker and Nils Winter and Andrew J. Hilliard and Mark G. Bason and Jan J. Arlt},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1607.02860},
year = {2016}
}
Comments
6 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Review of Scientific Instruments