Microwave sidebands for atomic physics experiments by period one oscillation in optically injected diode lasers

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how nonlinear dynamics in optically injected diode lasers generate tunable microwave sidebands suitable for atomic physics, enabling simplified setups for trapping rubidium atoms with linewidth narrowing and linewidth transfer.

Contribution

It introduces a method to produce microwave sidebands via period-one oscillation in diode lasers, enhancing atomic physics experiments with linewidth control.

Findings

Microwave sidebands are tunable via nonlinear laser dynamics.

Linewidth narrowing occurs at both injection and sideband frequencies.

Linewidth transfer from master to slave laser is achieved with strong optical injection.

Abstract

We show that nonlinear dynamics in diode lasers with optical injection leads to frequency tunable microwave sidebands which are suitable for atomic physics experiments. We demonstrate the applicability of the sidebands in an experiment where rubidium atoms are magneto-optically trapped with both the trap and the re-pump optical frequencies derived from one optically injected laser. We find linewidth narrowing in the optical spectrum of the injected laser at both the injection frequency and the sideband frequency. With strong optical injection which leads to frequency locking we find a complete linewidth transfer from the master to the slave. Further applications are discussed.