Abstract

Improved laser stabilization and measurement techniques are leading toward phase-stable sources at optical frequencies. The concept is to use cavity stabilization for the short term and blend over to atomic/molecular/ion resonances at the longer times. The optimum crossover time is related to the uncertainty in the drift rate of the reference cavity: if the drift rate is uniform, we can correct for it and so integrate the atomic resonance longer to reduce the noise.

© 1987 Optical Society of America