REMOTE: External Cavity Diode Laser

REMOTE: Narrow linewidth SWaP-C, ruggedized micro-ECDL technology platform for quantum & high-level metrology applications.

For Quantum Technologies to fulfil their potential requires orders of magnitude reduction in size, weight, power-consumption and cost (SWaP-C) compared to many of the current generation of laboratory demonstrators. In addition, the instrument must be reliable in real-world environments where it will be exposed to vibrations, shocks and temperature changes during operation.

The flexibility of the REMOTE platform μ-ECDL approach enables the single-frequency operation to be achieved with Fabry-Perot laser diodes whilst also offering prospects for wide tunability over the full gain spectrum and enabling the design to target a range of wavelengths specific to quantum cooling, re-pumping or other transitions.

REMOTE APPLICATIONS

• Quantum atomic laser cooling, trapping and repumping
• Quantum clocks, time and frequency standards
• Quantum gravimeters, gradiometers, metrology, inertial navigation…
• Quantum computing, communications, QKD
• Bose-Einstein condensation
• Polarization-sensitive and interferometric applications

Quantum applications such as optical clocks offer the promise of orders of magnitude improvement in temporal accuracy over the existing time standard.  Precision timing is required for a wide range of applications including telecommunications, financial trading, navigation systems and security.

However, optical clocks and other quantum technologies remain complex laboratory-bound systems.

REMOTE KEY FEATURES & BENEFITS

• μ-External Cavity Diode Laser (μ-ECDL)
• Designed and manufactured for enhanced acoustic, temperature, alignment stability and narrow linewidth
• Manufactured using space & telecoms qualified processes
• Coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) matched materials
• High vibration stability: short cavity, in addition to no moving parts or piezos
• Large free-spectral range enabling long-range injection current tuning
• SWAP-C design and performance optimised
• Hermetically sealed, robust, reliable and miniaturised laser module with integrated passive grating technologies
• Only 30 x 12.7 x 8.9 mm³
• Alignment-free, very stable, reliable and rapid frequency
• Tuning example: across all of the Rb⁸⁷ and Rb⁸⁵ lines ~10 GHz wide hyperfine spectral features
• Fast Injection current tuning
• Typical linewidth example for Rb: (when locking to Fabry-Pérot interferometer, >200 finesse, 1.5GHz FSR)
  • 1ms – 80 kHz
  • 100ms – 81 kHz

Alter Technology UK is also involved in Innovate UK’s Quantum projects, where our design IP and know-how enables ATN UK to deliver SWAP-C, high-reliabilityand high-stability products.

For Pioneer Gravity we have supplied our FLAME and REMOTE narrow linewidth lasers that are a key enabling technologies in application areas as diverse as quantum technologies, holography, interferometry, remote sensing and spectroscopy.In the quantum technology arena, these sources are at the heart of gravitometers, atomic clocks and inertial navigation sensors empowered by laser-cooled atoms.