Note: An in situ method for measuring the non-linear response of a Fabry-Perot cavity

The transfercavity is a very important frequency reference forlaser stabilization and is widely used for applications such as precisionmeasurements andlaser cooling of ions or molecules. But the non-linear response of thepiezoelectric ceramictransducer(PZT) in theFabry-Perotcavity limits the performance of thelaser stabilization. Thus,measuring and controlling such non-linearity is essential. Here we report anin situ, optical method to characterize this non-linearity bymeasuring the resonant signals of a dual-frequency laser. The differentialmeasurement makes it insensitive to the laser andcavity drifts, while maintaining a very high sensitivity. It can be applied for various applications withPZTs, especially in an optical lab.

Source: Review of Scientific Instruments - September 26, 2016 Category: Physics Authors: Wenhao Bu, Mengke Liu, Dizhou Xie and Bo Yan Source Type: research