Chip-Scale Atom-stabilized MEtrology Laser for Space Telescopes (C-SAMEL)

Future space-based large telescopes, such as the recent Habitable Worlds Observatory concept, are prioritized in the Astro2020 Decadal Survey. Sharp scientific images require a high-performance laser metrology system (MET) to stabilize and maintain telescope pointing and wavefronts. The laser frequency noise and long-term drift of the laser are two of the main factors in the performance of the telescope and wavefront control, which also directly impact the coronagraph stability, which was listed as a Tier 1 astrophysics technology gap in 2022. To reach the metrology requirements of a few tens of picometers (a baseline for these large telescope concepts), the laser frequency stability needs to be at a 10^(-11) level averaging from 10 minutes to a day. Atomic, molecular, or optical cavity-stabilized laser systems often use bulky and discrete components and often incur a large size, weight, and power for the optical subsystem. Strict environmental control is typically needed, especially due to the temperature sensitivity originating from the atoms and molecules' vapor pressure, and the thermal expansion rate in the base material for the ultra-stable optical cavity. Discrete components incur a sub-optimal size, weight, and power compared to integrated photonics devices. The overall large size and weight format significantly increase the required power for environmental control, leading to an increase in the system complexity and mission cost. We propose to tackle this challenge by integrating the entire metrology laser optical system into chip-scale photonic integrated circuits. We will develop a miniature platform with an on-chip high-quality (Q) factor silicon-nitride (SiN) delay line for fast noise mitigation, a chip-scale alkali vapor cell for long-term drift mitigation, and on-chip low-power high-speed laser frequency modulator and frequency doubler using thin-film lithium niobate (LN). Success will be achieved when we experimentally demonstrate the dual-frequency-stabilization of a butt-coupled indium phosphide (InP) laser diode to the on-chip delay line and on-chip atomic vapor to reach a stability of 10^(-11). The entire chip-scale metrology laser system is expected to shrink 10 to 100 times in size, weight, and power compared to the current state-of-the-art bulky systems using free-space iodine standard and ultra-stable cavity-stabilized lasers. The proposed fully integrated, chip-scale stabilized metrology laser will significantly reduce the required mission resources and cost associated with the size, weight, and power. The chip fabrication process can also mass-produce such chips at a very low cost, with high precision, and with high repeatability. The small footprint and parallel fabrication of the stabilized laser chips will provide a low-cost solution for redundancy. The stabilized laser chips will also benefit small spacecraft technology missions that require small stable lasers such as Fourier transfer infrared spectrometers, coherent optical communications links, and cold atom sensors.

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