Abstract
In many laser atom cooling experiments, Acousto-Optic Modulators (AOM) are used to modulate a laser beam frequency close to an electronic resonance of the atoms. Commercially available RF drivers for the AOMs tend to be expensive ($2k and above) and can also require supplementary equipment such as power supplies and amplifiers. This article presents a low cost, compact, re-configurable, and portable modulator driver system. This system can switch between two frequencies within a period of few hundreds of ns, while giving the user complete control over the frequency range and output power up to about 2 W. This fast switching allows to toggle a laser beam between two optical fibers which could be used for cooling, imaging, or optical pumping of the laser-cooled atoms.
Original language | English |
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Article number | e00054 |
Journal | HardwareX |
Volume | 5 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Apr 2019 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Acousto-Optic Modulator (AOM) Driver system
- Doppler cooling
- RF modulation system
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Civil and Structural Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Instrumentation
- Mechanical Engineering
- Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering