Artículo:

Understanding Pound-Drever-Hall locking using voltage controlled radio-frequency oscillators: An undergraduate experiment

Autor:

C. E. Liekhus-Schmaltz

J. D. D. Martin

Resumen:

We have developed a senior undergraduate experiment that illustrates frequency stabilization techniques using radio-frequency electronics. The primary objective is to frequency stabilize a voltage controlled oscillator to a cavity resonance at 800 MHz using the Pound-Drever-Hall method. This technique is commonly applied to stabilize lasers at optical frequencies. By using only radio-frequency equipment, it is possible to systematically study aspects of the technique more thoroughly, inexpensively, and free from eye hazards. Students also learn about modular radio-frequency electronics and basic feedback control loops. By varying the temperature of the resonator, students can determine the thermal expansion coefficients of copper, aluminum, and super invar.

Página:

232

Publicación:

American Journal of Physics

Volúmen:

80

Número:

3

Periodo:

marzo 2012

ISSN:

00029505

SrcID:

00029505-2012-03.txt