Design, Construction, and Characterization of an Interference- Filter Stabilized External-Cavity Diode Laser

ii ii Executive Summary As scientists understand more about the principles of atomic physics, they need tools which allow them to conduct precise measurements which reveal the fundamental properties of the building blocks of matter. One of the most important of these tools is the laser—a coherent light source with well defined frequency—that is capable of exciting and even cooling atoms. In this report we develop techniques for measuring the linewidth and stability of narrow bandwidth interference filter-stabilized external cavity diode lasers. Based on the characterization of two prototypes lasers, we identified key design parameters affecting laser linewidth and stability. Using these results, we designed a monolithic, hermetically sealable, diode laser using the same interference based feedback system. Using characterization techniques found in literature, such as self-heterodyne and heterodyne interference linewidth measurements, we measured an upper limit for the prototype diode laser linewidth of 10 kHz. This is significantly less than the upper limit of 100 kHz defined in the project proposal. We ensured the output was stable and capable of continuous single mode operation using