Design and experimental verification of unequal-arm interferometric frequency stabilization scheme in taiji program
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摘要:
激光频率噪声是空间引力波探测系统的最大噪声源，采用PDH (Pound-Drever-Hall)锁腔预稳、锁臂和时间延迟干涉的方法学可进行逐级压制。但随着皮米测量的发展，利用空间光不等臂干涉稳频，特别是可以有效利用现有空间激光干涉仪，无需额外超稳载体，是目前替代PDH锁腔预稳较为热门的方案。本文在太极计划第一代干涉仪光学平台的基础上，验证了利用现有干涉光路进行不等臂干涉仪稳频的有效性。实验结果显示，自由运行激光器频率噪声整体降低约一个量级，1 Hz处提升至3 KHz/Hz1/2。通过噪声分析可以发现，在0.2 Hz~1 Hz频段，主要限制因素是干涉仪的背景噪声；在0.1 Hz~1 mHz频段内，主要为自由运行激光器的功率噪声。未来将干涉仪噪声进一步降低至1 pm/Hz1/2，探索利用已有干涉光路稳频替代PDH锁腔方案的可能性。
Abstract:Laser frequency noise is the dominant noise source in space-based gravitational wave detection systems, which can be reduced by a multi-stage suppression approach employing PDH (Pound-Drever-Hall) cavity-locking pre-stabilization, arm-locking, and time-delay interferometry. However, with the advancement of picometer-level measurement, unequal-arm interferometric frequency stabilization using free-space laser links has emerged as a popular alternative to the PDH cavity-locking pre-stabilization scheme. This approach can effectively utilize existing space laser interferometers without requiring additional ultra-stable reference cavities. Based on the first-generation interferometric optical platform of the Taiji program, this paper verifies the feasibility and effectiveness of an unequal-arm interferometer frequency stabilization scheme using the existing interferometric optical path. Experimental results show that the free-running laser frequency noise is reduced by approximately one order of magnitude overall, reaching 3 kHz/Hz1/2 at 1 Hz. Noise analysis reveals that in the 0.2 Hz–1 Hz band, the main limiting factor is the background noise of the interferometer; in the 0.1 Hz–1 mHz band, the dominant noise source is the power noise of the free-running laser. Future work will focus on further reducing the interferometer noise to 1 pm/Hz1/2 and exploring the feasibility of replacing the PDH cavity-locking scheme with frequency stabilization using the existing interferometric optical path.
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图 1 干涉仪光学平台光路设计图。左：正面；右：背面
Figure 1. Optical path design of interference optical bench. Left: Front side; Right: Back side
M: mirror; BS: beam splitter (R/T: 50/50); BSa: beam splitter (10/90); BSb: beam splitter (90/10); BSc: beam splitter (1/99); BSd: beam splitter (99/1); PBS: polarizing beam splitter, FIOS:fibre injector optical subassembly; P-A: periscope in side A; P-B: periscope in side B; HWP: half waveplate; QWP: quarter wave plate; Telescope-I/F: telescope interface; TM-I/F: test mass interface; PAAM: point ahead angle mechanism; BSMG: beam shrinking mirror group; QPD: quadrant photodiode
图 2 太极计划第一代干涉仪光学平台实物照片。（a）正面；（b）背面
Figure 2. Physical photo of the first-generation interferometer optical bench of the Taiji program. (a) Front side; (b) back side
图 4 实验系统实物图。（a）干涉仪光学平台；（b）自由运行激光器；（c）相位计（上）及控制器Moku pro（下）；（d）超稳激光器
Figure 4. Experimental setup photograph. (a) Interferometer optical bench; (b) free-running laser; (c) phasemeter (top) and Moku Pro controller (bottom); (d) ultra-stable laser
图 6 不等臂干涉稳频实验典型结果，图中左轴是位移量纲，右轴是频率量纲
Figure 6. Typical experimental results of unequal-arm interferometric frequency stabilization. The left axis is in units of displacement, while the right axis corresponds to frequency units
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