Phase noise measurement of external cavity diode lasers and implications for optomechanical sideband cooling of GHz mechanical modes

T.J. Kippenberg; M.L. Gorodetsky; Albert Schliesser

doi:10.1088/1367-2630/15/1/015019

Phase noise measurement of external cavity diode lasers and implications for optomechanical sideband cooling of GHz mechanical modes

T.J. Kippenberg, M.L. Gorodetsky, Albert Schliesser

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Cavity-optomechanical cooling via radiation pressure dynamical backaction enables ground-state cooling of mechanical oscillators, provided the laser exhibits sufficiently low phase noise. In this paper, we investigate and measure the excess phase noise of widely tunable external cavity diode lasers, which have been used in a range of recent nano-optomechanical experiments, including ground-state cooling. We report significant excess frequency noise, with peak values of the order of 10⁷ rad² Hz near 3.5 GHz, attributed to the diode lasers' relaxation oscillations. The measurements reveal that even at GHz frequencies diode lasers do not exhibit quantum-limited performance. The associated excess backaction can preclude ground-state cooling even in state-of-the-art nano-optomechanical systems and can, moreover, lead to noise-induced sideband asymmetries.

Original language	English
Article number	015019
Journal	New Journal of Physics
Volume	15
ISSN	1367-2630
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/15/1/015019
Publication status	Published - 25 Jan 2013
Externally published	Yes

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title = "Phase noise measurement of external cavity diode lasers and implications for optomechanical sideband cooling of GHz mechanical modes",

abstract = "Cavity-optomechanical cooling via radiation pressure dynamical backaction enables ground-state cooling of mechanical oscillators, provided the laser exhibits sufficiently low phase noise. In this paper, we investigate and measure the excess phase noise of widely tunable external cavity diode lasers, which have been used in a range of recent nano-optomechanical experiments, including ground-state cooling. We report significant excess frequency noise, with peak values of the order of 107 rad2 Hz near 3.5 GHz, attributed to the diode lasers' relaxation oscillations. The measurements reveal that even at GHz frequencies diode lasers do not exhibit quantum-limited performance. The associated excess backaction can preclude ground-state cooling even in state-of-the-art nano-optomechanical systems and can, moreover, lead to noise-induced sideband asymmetries.",

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T1 - Phase noise measurement of external cavity diode lasers and implications for optomechanical sideband cooling of GHz mechanical modes

AU - Kippenberg, T.J.

AU - Gorodetsky, M.L.

AU - Schliesser, Albert

PY - 2013/1/25

Y1 - 2013/1/25

N2 - Cavity-optomechanical cooling via radiation pressure dynamical backaction enables ground-state cooling of mechanical oscillators, provided the laser exhibits sufficiently low phase noise. In this paper, we investigate and measure the excess phase noise of widely tunable external cavity diode lasers, which have been used in a range of recent nano-optomechanical experiments, including ground-state cooling. We report significant excess frequency noise, with peak values of the order of 107 rad2 Hz near 3.5 GHz, attributed to the diode lasers' relaxation oscillations. The measurements reveal that even at GHz frequencies diode lasers do not exhibit quantum-limited performance. The associated excess backaction can preclude ground-state cooling even in state-of-the-art nano-optomechanical systems and can, moreover, lead to noise-induced sideband asymmetries.

AB - Cavity-optomechanical cooling via radiation pressure dynamical backaction enables ground-state cooling of mechanical oscillators, provided the laser exhibits sufficiently low phase noise. In this paper, we investigate and measure the excess phase noise of widely tunable external cavity diode lasers, which have been used in a range of recent nano-optomechanical experiments, including ground-state cooling. We report significant excess frequency noise, with peak values of the order of 107 rad2 Hz near 3.5 GHz, attributed to the diode lasers' relaxation oscillations. The measurements reveal that even at GHz frequencies diode lasers do not exhibit quantum-limited performance. The associated excess backaction can preclude ground-state cooling even in state-of-the-art nano-optomechanical systems and can, moreover, lead to noise-induced sideband asymmetries.

U2 - 10.1088/1367-2630/15/1/015019

DO - 10.1088/1367-2630/15/1/015019

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1367-2630

VL - 15

JO - New Journal of Physics

JF - New Journal of Physics

M1 - 015019

ER -

Phase noise measurement of external cavity diode lasers and implications for optomechanical sideband cooling of GHz mechanical modes

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