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PUBLICATIONS

Quantum Noise Limited Detection of Absorption in High Finesse Cavities Enabled by Modulation Techniques

Published

Author(s)

Jun Ye, John L. Hall

Abstract

We review the two key ingredients for reaching the goal of ultrasensitive detection of atomic and molecular absorption: enhancement of the intrinsic atomic/molecular signal and elimination of technical noises. The absorption signal can be enhanced by using an optical cavity. However, care must be taken for signal readout from the enhancement cavity: the sharp resonances of the cavity necessarily introduces some additional noise owing to the frequency to amplitude noise conversion. Technical noises such as cavity vibration and drifts would also prevent one from reaching the fundamental quantum noise limit. In this chapter we discuss in detail that introduction of various modulation techniques to the cavity configuration would let one enjoy the signal enhancement aspect of the cavity while at the same time reach the fundamental noise limit. As developers of sensitive absorption techniques, we would like to make these ideas and strategies available to the wider community, especially to those colleagues in whatever field who have real scientific problems which could be advanced if only they had available a higher level of absorption sensitivity. We have a few such scientific and/or apprications areas in mind our selves and, indeed, most of this work has been motivated by two of them: the desire to explore novel (and necessarily weak) aspects of molecular vibration dynamics and the dream of having a general method to produce a high performance frequency reference basically anywhere in the visible/near ir domain. Molecular overtone transitions are suitable candidates for these studies because of their highly nonlinear characteristics in vibration and their generous spectral coverage.
Citation
Quantum Noise Limited Detection of Absorption in High Finesse Cavities Enabled by Modulation Techniques
Publisher Info
Book Chapter Chapter of Cavity Enhanced Spectroscopy,
Pub Type
Books

Keywords

modulation, optical cavity, quantum noise, ultrasensitive

Citation

Ye, J. and Hall, J. (2008), Quantum Noise Limited Detection of Absorption in High Finesse Cavities Enabled by Modulation Techniques, Book Chapter Chapter of Cavity Enhanced Spectroscopy, (Accessed May 1, 2024)

Created October 16, 2008