Polarization orthogonalizer for a pair of laser beams with nearly equal frequencies

Sin Hyuk Yim, T. H. Yoon, D. Cho

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We have demonstrated a device to produce an overlapping pair of orthogonally polarized laser beams with a 3 GHz frequency offset out of a single laser beam containing the two frequency components with the same linear polarization. Our design is based on a Michelson interferometer formed by a polarizing beam splitter and two quarter-waveplates. Such a device can be used to make the polarization states of a carrier and a sideband produced through modulation mutually orthogonal. An orthogonally polarized pair of coherent laser beams can be used for an interferometric measurement of a small displacement in a heterodyne scheme or to produce a large-contrast coherent population trapping signal from alkali metal atoms. As a demonstration we used the device to achieve 40% contrast for a coherent population trapping signal from a rubidium vapor cell.

Original languageEnglish
Article number126104
JournalReview of Scientific Instruments
Volume79
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2008

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Instrumentation

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Polarization orthogonalizer for a pair of laser beams with nearly equal frequencies'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this