Optical lattice clock with an amplified laser diode

Master thesis in physics at University of Torino.

ABSTRACT :Optical lattice clocks occupy a very important position in metrological research. Diffused worldwide, they are a strong candidate for a future redefinition of the second of the International System of Units (SI) and thanks to their extremely small fractional uncertainty about 10−18 they are involved in fundamental physics experiments, for example in the field of general relativity. In a optical clock, the lattice is used to trap ultracold atoms and it is realized with a retro-reflected laser tuned on magic wavelength to reduce perturbations on the clock transition. An optical lattice is generated usually starting by a titanium:sapphire laser: its main qualities are high output power and narrow linewidth, but it is delicate and difficult to use so its application in new kinds of atomic clocks, such as transportable or spacial, is not strongly recommended. Replacing it with an amplified laser diode would be preferable because these instruments are better for cost, reliability, size and weight, so suitable for applications out of laboratory, but at the same time present the problem of spectral purity as they have a not negligible amplified spontaneous emission (ASE): this phenomenon produces a broad spectrum detuned from magic wavelength inducing a perturbation on the clock transition. In my thesis I investigated experimentally the possibility to generate an optical lattice starting from an amplified laser diode emitting at 759.35 nm, ytterbium magic wavelength, and I applied the laser system that I developed on the atomic clock IT-Yb1 at Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM) located in Torino. The target of this work is to achieve fractional uncertainty due to ASE below 10−18, making the performances of the two different lasers sources equivalent. First, I calculated the theoretical model of the light shift induced by the lattice on the clock transition between ytterbium atomic states 1S0 →3 P0, comparing it with experimental results and I applied it to estimate ASE contribution to lattice shift. In the experimental part of this work I realized an optical system to study amplified laser diode emission and manipulate laser beam to obtain a good lattice from this laser source, filtering ASE with a volume Bragg grating and controlling power with an acousto optic modulator. Moreover I studied ASE spectral distribution in different conditions and its interaction with optical elements. Next studies foresee to measure experimentally with IT-Yb1 the shift induced by the laser system that I realized to calculate its uncertainty contribution and compare this result with the one obtained with a titanium:sapphire laser. This work will be useful to the development of compact or transportable atomic clocks based exclusively on semiconductor lasers with applications in the generation of optical timescales, travelling optical standards and the measurements of Earth gravitational redshift.