Patent attributes
A laser system for atomic clocks and sensors includes a single laser, an intensity splitter, a modulator, and a feedback-based lock controller. The single laser outputs a central optical frequency of laser light that can be tuned. The intensity splitter splits the laser light along a first and a second optical path. A modulator is disposed in the first optical path. The portion of laser light from the first optical path is subjected to the modulator with the modulator disposed to generate a frequency-shifted sideband from some or all of the portion of the laser light subjected to the modulator, with the frequency-shifted sideband shifted by an adjustable frequency source, resulting in an adjustable frequency offset between the frequency-shifted sideband and an unmodulated carrier propagating in the second optical path. The feedback-based lock controller locks the optical frequency of the frequency-shifted sideband to a repumping transition for atom cooling.
