Field-test of a robust, portable, frequency-stable laser

TL;DR

This study demonstrates a portable, frequency-stable laser operating reliably in a vehicle environment, with active acceleration correction achieving high stability and low linewidth in real-world conditions.

Contribution

It presents a novel implementation of a robust, portable laser system with active acceleration compensation tested in a moving vehicle environment.

Findings

Achieved acceleration sensitivity of ~10^-12 per g in three directions.

Maintained a laser linewidth of 1.7 Hz in stationary conditions.

Validated laser performance during vehicle motion.

Abstract

We operate a frequency-stable laser in a non-laboratory environment where the test platform is a passenger vehicle. We measure the acceleration experienced by the laser and actively correct for it to achieve a system acceleration sensitivity of $\Delta f / f$ = $11(2) \times 10^{-12}$/g, $6(2) \times 10^{-12}$/g, and $4(1) \times 10^{-12}$/g for accelerations in three orthogonal directions at 1 Hz. The acceleration spectrum and laser performance are evaluated with the vehicle both stationary and moving. The laser linewidth in the stationary vehicle with engine idling is 1.7(1) Hz.