Open-access microcavities: high stability without dedicated mechanical low-pass filter in closed-cycle cryostats

arXiv (Cornell University)

Abstract

Open-access optical microcavities are Fabry-Perot type cavities consisting of two micrometer-size mirrors, separated by an air (or vacuum) gap typically of a few micrometers. Compared to integrated microcavities, this configuration is more flexible as the relative position of the two mirrors can be tuned, allowing to change on demand parameters such as cavity length and mode volume, and to select specific transverse cavity modes. These advantages come at the expense of mechanical stability of the cavity itself, which is particularly relevant in noisy closed-cycle cryostats. Here we show an open-access optical microcavity based on scanning-probe microscope design principles. When operated at 4 K in a tabletop optical closed-cycle cryostat without any dedicated low-pass filter, we obtain stabilities of 5.7 and 10.6 pm rms in the quiet and full period of the cryocooler cycle, respectively. Our device has free-space optical access, essential for instance for full polarization control.

Authors 5

1. Matteo Fisicaro Aachen Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory

   Leiden University · Huygens Institute for History and Culture of the Netherlands

   Affiliation as printed

   Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory , Leiden University , P.O. Box 9504 , 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands

2. Marcel J. Rost Aachen Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory

   Leiden University · Huygens Institute for History and Culture of the Netherlands

   Affiliation as printed

   Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory , Leiden University , P.O. Box 9504 , 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands

3. M. Witlox Aachen Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory

   Leiden University · Huygens Institute for History and Culture of the Netherlands

   Affiliation as printed

   Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory , Leiden University , P.O. Box 9504 , 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands

4. Harmen van der Meer Aachen Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory

   Leiden University · Huygens Institute for History and Culture of the Netherlands

   Affiliation as printed

   Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory , Leiden University , P.O. Box 9504 , 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands

5. W. Löffler