Abstract

We present a new method for locking the frequency of a laser to a reference-interferometer cavity. For a non-mode-matched input beam, the light reflected off a cavity contains an interference between the wave fronts corresponding to the various cavity modes. A detector placed at the proper position on the interference pattern provides a signal proportional to the imaginary component of the reflected field. As a function of laser frequency, this signal is dispersion shaped and can be used as the error signal for electronic frequency stabilization.

© 1982 Optical Society of America

Continuous-scanning system for single-mode wedge dye lasers

M. N. Nenchev and Y. H. Meyer
Opt. Lett. 7(5) 199-200 (1982)

Reflective high-finesse interferometers as effective intrapulse laser frequency stabilizers

E. Palange and G. Salvetti
Opt. Lett. 15(12) 676-678 (1990)

Submegahertz frequency-stabilized Nd:YAG oscillator

Y. L. Sun and Robert L. Byer
Opt. Lett. 7(9) 408-410 (1982)

Generation of continuous-wave ultraviolet radiation by sum-frequency mixing in an external ring cavity

B. Couillaud, Ph. Dabkiewicz, L. A. Bloomfield, and T. W. Hänsch
Opt. Lett. 7(6) 265-267 (1982)

Frequency locking a laser to an optical cavity by use of spatial mode interference

D. A. Shaddock, M. B. Gray, and D. E. McClelland
Opt. Lett. 24(21) 1499-1501 (1999)