Hybrid optical and electronic laser locking using spectral hole burning

Abstract

We report on a narrow linewidth laser diode system that is stabilized using both optical and electronic feedback to a spectral hole in cryogenic Tm:YAG. The laser system exhibits very low phase noise. The spectrum of the beat signal between two lasers, over millisecond timescales, is either Fourier limited or limited by the -111dBc/Hz noise floor. The resulting laser is well suited to quantum optics and sensing applications involving rare earth ion dopants.