Offset-locking-based frequency stabilization of external cavity diode lasers for long-distance quantum communication

Abstract

Quantum repeaters are required for long-distance quantum communication. For efficient coupling of quantum entangled photon sources with narrow-linewidth quantum memories we performed the frequency stabilization of two lasers at 1514 and 1010 nm. The 1514 nm pump laser of the entangled photon source exhibited a frequency stability of 3.6 \times 10^{-12} (\tau = 1 s). The 1010 nm pump laser of the wavelength conversion system exhibited a frequency stability of 3.4 \times 10^{-12} (\tau = 1 s). The stabilities of both lasers were approximately two orders of magnitude smaller than the frequency width of 4 MHz of the Pr:YSO quantum memory. Such frequency-stabilized lasers can realize the remote coupling of a quantum memory and an entangled photon source in quantum repeaters.