A long-term frequency-stabilized erbium-fiber-laser-based optical frequency comb with an intra-cavity electro-optic modulator

We demonstrate an optical frequency comb based on an erbium-doped-fiber femtosecond laser with the nonlinear polarization evolution scheme. The repetition rate of the laser is about 209 MHz. By controlling an intra-cavity electro- optic modulator and a piezo-transducer, the repetition rate can be stabilized with a high-bandwidth servo in a frequency range of 3 kHz, enabling long-term repetition rate phase-locking. The in-loop frequency stability of repetition rate is about 1.6× 10-13 in an integration time of 1 s, limited by the measurement system; and it is inversely proportional to integration time in the short term. Furthermore, using a common path f-2f interferometer, the carrier envelope offset frequency of the comb is obtained with a signal-to-noise ratio of 40 dB in a 3-MHz resolution bandwidth. Stabilized cartier envelope offset frequency exhibits a deviation of 0.6 mHz in an integration time of 1 s.

Miniature laser frequency stabilization module for cold atom sensing

In this study,a miniature laser frequency stabilization module for cold atom sensing applications was designed and realized.The module can lock the laser frequency to the saturated absorption spectrum of the D2 line of rubidium(Rb)atoms using the frequency modulation spectroscopy method.The module core is a tiny Rb cell,co-packaged with the saturation absorption optical setup,temperature control circuit,and detection circuit through a joint optical-mechanical-electrical design for a total volume of only 40 mm×15 mm×30 mm.The frequency fluctuation of the 780 nm laser after frequency stabilization by the module was within 1 MHz over 1000 s,which is adequate for magneto-optical trap experiments.The results verify the feasibility of the module as a frequency reference and provide a light source for portable cold atom sensing devices.

Multiple wavelength frequency stabilization with a single transfer cavity for mercury optical lattice clock

A simple and robust multiple wavelength frequency stabilization system is demonstrated using a single transfer cavity and a1062-nm ultra-stable laser for all the lasers used in a mercury optical lattice clock.Offset sideband locking is employed to tune the laser frequency while dichroic mirrors and differentiated modulation frequencies are utilized for the Pound–Drever–Hall locking of four-color lasers.For the most demanding lasers at 1015 nm and 725 nm,the line width of the beat note is reduced to 27 kHz and 17 kHz,respectively.The frequency fluctuation for the transfer-locked 1015-nm laser is less than 10 kHz,which is much better than the lasers locked to an atomic spectrum.Using its high stability of 5×10^(-12)over100 s,the transfer-locked 1015-nm laser is employed for low-noise frequency modulated saturated absorption spectroscopy.This approach could also be used in various situations for the research of optical clocks,Rydberg atoms,laser cooling of molecules,and quantum computation with neutral atoms.

Two-hertz-linewidth Nd:YAG lasers at 1064 nm stabilized to vertically mounted ultra-stable cavities

Two Nd：YAG lasers operating at 1064 nm are separately servo-locked to two vertically mounted ultra-stable cavities. The optical heterodyne beat between two cavity-stabilized lasers shows that the linewidth of each laser reaches 2 Hz and the average frequency drift reduces to less than 1 Hz/s.

Frequency stabilization of a 399-nm laser by modulation transfer spectroscopy in an ytterbium hollow cathode lamp

The modulation transfer spectroscopy in an ytterbium hollow cathode lamp at 399 nm is measured. The error signal for frequency locking is optimized by measuring the dependences of its slope, linewidth and magnitude on various parameters. Under the optimum condition, the laser frequency at 399 nm can be stabilized. The long-term stability of laser frequency is measured by monitoring the fluorescence signal of the ytterbium atomic beam induced by the locked laser. The laser frequency is shown to be tightly locked, and the stabilized laser is successfully applied to the cooling of ytterbium atoms.

Broad bandwidth interference filter-stabilized external cavity diode laser with narrow linewidth below 100kHz

Interference filter-stabilized external cavity diode lasers （ECDLs） have properties of simple configurations, high sta- bilities, and narrow linewidths. However, the interference filter used in common ECDL designs requires an ultra-narrow bandwidth （about 0.3 nm） to achieve mode selection, that is considerably expensive and not yet available for a wide range of wavelengths. In this paper, a robust ECDL using an available broad bandwidth （about 4 nm） interference filter as the wavelength discriminator is constructed and tested. The ECDL demonstrated a narrow Lorentzian fitted linewidth of 95 kHz and a spectral purity of 2.9 MHz. The long-term frequency stability of the ECDL reaches 5.59 x 10 12.

Arbitrary frequency stabilization of a diode laser based on visual Labview PID VI and sound card output

We report a robust method of directly stabilizing a grating feedback diode laser to an arbitrary frequency in a large range. The error signal, induced from the difference between the frequency measured by a wavelength meter and the preset target frequency, is fed back to the piezoelectric transducer module of the diode laser via a sound card in the computer. A visual Labview procedure is developed to realize a feedback system. In our experiment the frequency drift of the diode laser is reduced to 8 MHz within 25 min. The robust scheme can be adapted to realize the arbitrary frequency stabilization for many other kinds of lasers.

Flexible control of semiconductor laser with frequency tunable modulation transfer spectroscopy

We introduce a new method of simultaneously implementing frequency stabilization and frequency shift for semiconductor lasers. We name this method the frequency tunable modulation transfer spectroscopy （FTMTS）. To realize a stable output of 780 nm semiconductor laser, an FTMTS optical heterodyne frequency stabilization system is constructed. Before entering into the frequency stabilization system, the probe laser passes through an acousto-optical modulator （AOM） twice in advance to achieve tunable frequency while keeping the light path stable. According to the experimental results, the frequency changes from 120 MHz to 190 MHz after the double-pass AOM, and the intensity of laser entering into the system is greatly changed, but there is almost no change in the error signal of the FTMTS spectrum. Using this signal to lock the laser frequency, we can ensure that the frequency of the laser changes with the amount of AOM shift. Therefore, the magneto-optical trap （MOT）-molasses process can be implemented smoothly.

High-performance frequency stabilization of ultraviolet diode lasers by using dichroic atomic vapor spectroscopy and transfer cavity

We develop a high-performance ultraviolet(UV)frequency stabilization technique implemented directly on UV diode lasers by combining the dichroic atomic vapor laser lock and the resonant transfer cavity lock.As an example,we demonstrate a stable locking with measured frequency standard deviations of approximately 200 kHz and 300 kHz for 399 nm and 370 nm diode lasers in 20 min.We achieve a long-term frequency drift of no more than 1 MHz for the target 370 nm laser within an hour,which is further verified with fluorescence count rates of a single trapped ^171Yb+ion.We also find strong linear correlations between lock points and environmental factors such as temperature and atmospheric pressure.Our approach provides a simple and stable solution at a relatively low cost,and features flexible control,high feedback bandwidth and minimal power consumption of the target UV laser.

Study of a low power dissipation,miniature laser-pumped rubidium frequency standard

This paper studies a miniature low power consumption laser-pumped atom vapour cell clock scheme. Pumping ^87Rb with a vertical cavity surface emitting laser diode pump and locking the laser frequency on a Doppler-broadened spectral line, it records a 5 × 10^-11τ-1/2 （τ〈500 s） frequency stability with a table-top system in a primary experiment. The study reveals that the evaluated scheme is at the level of 2.7 watts power consumption, 90 cm^3 volume and 10^-12τ-1/2 short-term frequency stability.

Improvement of Laser Frequency Stabilization for the Optical Pumping Cesium Beam Standard

A method is presented to improve the laser frequency stabilization for the optical pumping cesium clock. By comparing the laser frequency stabilization of different schemes, we verify that the light angle is an important factor that limits the long-term frequency stability. We minimize the drift of the light angle by using a fiber- coupled output, and lock the frequency of a distributed-feedback diode laser to the fluorescence spectrum of the atomic beam. The measured frequency stability is about 3.5 ×10^-11 at i s and reaches 1.5 × 10^-12 at 2000s. The Allan variance keeps going down for up to thousands of seconds, indicating that the medium- and long-term stability of the laser frequency is significantly improved and perfectly fulfills the requirement for the optical pumping cesium clock.

Generation of stable and tunable optical frequency linked to a radio frequency by use of a high finesse cavity and its application in absorption spectroscopy

The laser frequency could be linked to an radio frequency through an external cavity by the combination of Pound-Drever-Hall and Devoe-Brewer locking techniques.A stable and tunable optical frequency at wavelength of 1.5μm obtained by a cavity with high finesse of 96000 and a fiber laser has been demonstrated,calibrated by a commercial optical frequency comb.The locking performances have been analyzed by in-loop and out-loop noises,indicating that the absolute frequency instability could be down to 50 kHz over 1 s and keep to less than 110 kHz over 2.5 h.Then,the application of this stabilized laser to the direct absorption spectroscopy has been performed.With the help of balanced detection,the detection sensitivity,in terms of optical density,can reach to 9.4×10^(-6).

Finite-time economic model predictive control for optimal load dispatch and frequency regulation in interconnected power systems

This paper presents a finite-time economic model predictive control(MPC)algorithm that can be used for frequency regulation and optimal load dispatch in multi-area power systems.Economic MPC can be used in a power system to ensure frequency stability,real-time economic optimization,control of the system and optimal load dispatch from it.A generalized terminal penalty term was used,and the finite-time convergence of the system was guaranteed.The effectiveness of the proposed model predictive control algorithm was verified by simulating a power system,which had two areas connected by an AC tie line.The simulation results demonstrated the effectiveness of the algorithm.

Research on the Impacts of the Inertia and Droop Control Gains from a Variable-Speed Wind Turbine Generator on the Frequency Response

System frequency must be kept very close to its nominal range to ensure the stability of an electric power grid.Excessive system frequency variations are able to result in load shedding,frequency instability,and even generator damage.With increasing wind power penetration,there is rising concern about the reduction in inertia response and primary frequency control in the electric power grid.Converter-based wind generation is capable of providing inertia response and primary frequency response;nevertheless,the primary frequency and inertia responses of wind generation are different from those of conventional synchronous fleets;it is not completely understood how the primary frequency and inertia responses affect the given system under various disturbances and available kinetic energy levels.Simulations are used to investigate the influences of inertia and droop control strategies on the dynamic frequency responses,particularly the index of the second frequency drop under various disturbance and wind conditions.A quantitative analysis provides insight into setting of inertia and droop control coefficients for various wind and disturbance conditions to facilitate adequate dynamic frequency responses during frequency events.

Modelling and Simulation of Performance of the Microgrid Frequency Stability Control during Unplanned Islanding: The Case Study of Mwenga Hydropower

A grid connected microgrid connects to the grid at a point of common coupling. Due to the great inertia of the grid which accelerates and decelerates the generator when its frequency tends to deviate, the grid connected microgrid operates at a frequency of the infinity bus. Frequency instability is one of the major challenges facing the grid connected microgrid during islanding. The power demand variation causes the variation in rotor speed, resulting to frequency deviation. Frequency can be brought back to standard by varying the power generation to match with the varying load. The performance of the frequency stability control system at Mwenga hydroelectric microgrid has been studied. Through site visitation, the power demand and generation status data were collected and analysed for model preparation. The results of the study indicate that, during islanding, the Mwenga rural electrification project is observed to be subjected to power imbalance which leads to frequency instability. Although the frequency control system tries to keep the system at a nominal frequency by maintaining the continuous balance between generation and varying load demand, however the system still operates with large magnitude of overshoot, undershoot and longer settling time.

Dynamic Stability Analysis of Caisson Breakwater in Lifetime Considering the Annual Frequency of Severe Storm

In the dynamic stability analysis of a caisson breakwater, most of current studies pay attention to the motion characteristics of caisson breakwaters under a single periodical breaking wave excitation. And in the lifetime stability analysis of caisson breakwater, it is assumed that the caisson breakwater suffers storm wave excitation once annually in the design lifetime. However, the number of annual severe storm occurrence is a random variable. In this paper, a series of random waves are generated by the Wen Sheng-chang wave spectrum, and the histories of successive and long-term random wave forces are built up by using the improved Goda wave force model. It is assumed that the number of annual severe storm occurrence is in the Poisson distribution over the 50-year design lifetime, and the history of random wave excitation is generated for each storm by the wave spectrum. The response histories of the caisson breakwater to the random waves over 50-year design lifetime are calculated and taken as a set of samples. On the basis of the Monte Carlo simulation technique, a large number of samples can be obtained, and the probability assessment of the safety of the breakwater during the complete design lifetime is obtained by statistical analysis of a large number of samples. Finally, the procedure of probability assessment of the breakwater safety is illustrated by an example.

MEMS Huygens Clock Based on Synchronized Micromechanical Resonators

With the continuous miniaturization of electronic devices,microelectromechanical system(MEMS)oscillators that can be combined with integrated circuits have attracted increasing attention.This study reports a MEMS Huygens clock based on the synchronization principle,comprising two synchronized MEMS oscillators and a frequency compensation system.The MEMS Huygens clock improved shorttime stability,improving the Allan deviation by a factor of 3.73 from 19.3 to 5.17 ppb at 1 s.A frequency compensation system based on the MEMS oscillator’s temperature-frequency characteristics was developed to compensate for the frequency shift of the MEMS Huygens clock by controlling the resonator current.This effectively improved the long-term stability of the oscillator,with the Allan deviation improving by 1.6343105 times to 30.9 ppt at 6000 s.The power consumption for compensating both oscillators simultaneously is only 2.85 mW·℃^(-1).Our comprehensive solution scheme provides a novel and precise engineering solution for achieving high-precision MEMS oscillators and extends synchronization applications in MEMS.

Physics package based on intracavity laser cooling ^(87)Rb atoms for space cold atom microwave clock

This article proposes a new physics package to enhance the frequency stability of the space cold atom clock with the advantages of a microgravity environment. Clock working processes, including atom cooling, atomic state preparation,microwave interrogation, and transition probability detection, are integrated into the cylindrical microwave cavity to achieve a high-performance and compact physics package for the space cold atom clock. We present the detailed design and ground-test results of the cold atom clock physics package in this article, which demonstrates a frequency stability of 1.2×10^(-12) τ^(-1/2) with a Ramsey linewidth of 12.5 Hz, and a better performance is predicted with a 1 Hz or a narrower Ramsey linewidth in microgravity environment. The miniaturized cold atom clock based on intracavity cooling has great potential for achieving space high-precision time-frequency reference in the future.

A step to the decentralized real-time timekeeping network

The composite time scale(CTS) provides an accurate and stable time-frequency reference for modern science and technology. Conventional CTS always features a centralized network topology, which means that the CTS is accompanied by a local master clock. This largely restricts the stability and reliability of the CTS. We simulate the restriction and analyze the influence of the master clock on the CTS. It proves that the CTS's long-term stability is also positively related to that of the master clock, until the region dominated by the frequency drift of the H-maser(averaging time longer than ~10~5s).Aiming at this restriction, a real-time clock network is utilized. Based on the network, a real-time CTS referenced by a stable remote master clock is achieved. The experiment comparing two real-time CTSs referenced by a local and a remote master clock respectively reveals that under open-loop steering, the stability of the CTS is improved by referencing to a remote and more stable master clock instead of a local and less stable master clock. In this way, with the help of the proposed scheme, the CTS can be referenced to the most stable master clock within the network in real time, no matter whether it is local or remote, making democratic polycentric timekeeping possible.

Decreased vibrational susceptibility of Fabry-Perot cavities via designs of geometry and structural support

Ultra-stable optical cavities are widely used for laser frequency stabilization. In these experiments the laser performance relies on the length stability of the Fabry-Perot cavities. Vibration-induced deformation is one of the dominant factors that affect the stability of ultra-stable optical cavities. We have quantitatively analysed the elastic deformation of Fabry-Perot cavities with various shapes and mounting configurations. Our numerical result facilitates a novel approach for the design of ultra-stable cavities that are insensitive to vibrational perturbations. This approach can be applied to many experiments such as laser frequency stabilization, high-precision laser spectroscopy, and optical frequency standards.