Laser frequency control using an optical resonator locked to an electronic oscillator

A new method for controlling a laser's center frequency is reported. This method extends the Pound-Drever-Hall technique, which delivers exceptional laser linewidth. The new technique, applicable over a broad range of wavelengths, produces a laser beam with both narrow linewidth and stable center frequency. A diode-pumped ring laser is locked to an ultrahigh-finesse, tunable optical resonator which, in turn, is locked to an electronic (5 MHz) oscillator using a difference frequency developed by locking a second laser to the resonator. A 1064-nm beam is reported with linewidth less than 0.004 Hz and center-frequency stability given by the electronic reference. For the case of an oven-controlled quartz crystal, the laser center-frequency stability is less than 1 part in 10/sup 11/ per day with root Allan variance of 10/sup -12/ for a 1000-s time delay. The entire system is compact, and all elements are solid-state, making it useful both in the laboratory and in a number of space-based applications.