Development of a light source synchronized with microwave standards by optical resonator for precision spectroscopy of molecular vibrational levels

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K03699
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 13020:Semiconductors, optical properties of condensed matter and atomic physics-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University (2020-2021); Kyoto University (2019)
• Principal Investigator: Kobayashi Jun 北海道大学, 工学研究院, 准教授 (50579753)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 光共振器 / 光コム / 精密分子分光 / レーザー冷却

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recently, demands on the stability of laser frequency have been increased. The research object is to develop a measurement method for the free spectral range(FSR) of high finesse cavity and to realize a "cavity-type optical frequency comb", which is cheep, stable, and easy, in order to apply it to the atomic and molecular precision spectroscopy.
In the research period, we developed a technique to stabilize the laser frequency to the highly-stable optical cavity and succeeded in developing a laser source, which can stably excite the Yb ultranarrow line transition. And we reported it in a paper. Moreover, we performed a laser cooling experiment in a cavity-enhanced 3D optical lattice, and we have succeeded in the cooling into the theoretical cooling limit.

Free Research Field

冷却原子

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

研究期間内に開発したYb原子の狭線幅遷移に対するレーザー光源開発技術について、投稿論文で発表したが、発表後にはすぐに多くの研究者から詳細についての問い合わせ受けるなど、本研究分野に対して重要な役割を果たしている。また、光共振器増幅された3次元光格子中でのレーザー冷却実験は、本研究で行った新奇性の高い研究であり、従来行われてこなかった新しい研究を開拓する研究である。理論的な冷却限界温度への冷却を実現したことは、その重要な第1歩であり、今後の発展が期待できる。