Compact Stabilized Semiconductor Laser for Frequency Metrology

Abstract: We report on the development of a frequency modulatable 795 nm semiconductor laser based on self-injection locking to a high quality factor whispering gallery mode microresonator. The laser is characterized with residual amplitude modulation below -80 dB and frequency noise better than 300 Hz/Hz^1/2 at offset frequencies ranging from 100 Hz to 10 MHz. The frequency modulation (FM) speed and span of the laser exceed 1 MHz and 4 GHz, respectively. Locking of the laser to Doppler-free saturated absorption resonance of 87Rb D1 line is demonstrated and frequency stability below 10^-12 is measured for integration time spanning from 1 s to 1 day. The architecture demonstrated in this study is suitable for realization of frequency modulatable lasers at any wavelength.