Gallium-nitride-based interference-filter-stabilized external cavity diode laser with a surface-activated-bonded output coupler

TL;DR

This paper presents a gallium-nitride-based external cavity diode laser stabilized with an interference filter, demonstrating long-term stable operation and minimal power degradation, suitable for portable quantum applications.

Contribution

Introduces a novel interference-filter-stabilized external cavity diode laser with surface-activated-bonded output couplers for improved stability and durability.

Findings

Mode-hop-free operation for about one week

Power degradation less than 10% after three weeks

Potential for practical quantum technology applications

Abstract

We report on an interference-filter-stabilized external cavity diode laser using a gallium-nitride-based violet laser diode. Surface-activated-bonded glass substrates were employed as cat's eye output couplers in order to suppress power degradation due to optical damage. From the results of a long-term frequency-stabilization test, mode-hop-free operation for about one week was demonstrated. After a continuous operation of about three weeks, the power degradation was less than 10$\%$. The results show the potential of such interference-filter-stabilized external cavity diode lasers for practical and portable quantum technologies such as atomic clocks or atomic interferometers.