Compact Laser System For A Laser-Cooled Ytterbium Ion Microwave Frequency Standard

The development of a transportable microwave frequency standard based on the ground-state transition of Yb-171(+) at similar to 12.6 GHz requires a compact laser system for cooling the ions, clearing out of long-lived states and also for photoionisation. In this paper, we describe the development of a suitable compact laser system based on a 6U height rack-mounted arrangement with overall dimensions 260 x 194 x 335 mm. Laser outputs at 369 nm (for cooling), 399 nm (photoionisation), 935 nm (repumping), and 760 nm (state clearout) are combined in a fiber arrangement for delivery to our linear ion trap and we demonstrate this system by cooling of Yb-171(+) ions. Additionally, we demonstrate that the lasers at 935 nm and 760 nm are close in frequency to water vapor and oxygen absorption lines, respectively; specifically, at 760 nm, we show that one Yb-171(+) transition is within the pressure broadened profile of an oxygen line. These molecular transitions form convenient wavelength references for the stabilization of lasers for a Yb-171(+) frequency standard. Published under license by AIP Publishing.