Fiber Laser Source for Ultracold Cesium-based Quantum Applications

We propose to develop an in-house fiber optic laser amplifier to generate 852 nm light for quantum applications involving ultra-cold cesium atoms. Lasers employed for these ultracold quantum applications require high frequency stability, narrow spectral bandwidth, excellent tuning precision, and high output power. An all-fiber optic laser system is the preferred architecture over existing free space systems because of its immunity to mechanical perturbations and thermal swings, high electrical efficiency, Telecordia-qualified parts, and substantial wavelength tunability. For the proposed effort, we will demonstrate >20 dB of optical gain at 852 nm in a single-stage erbium-doped ZBLAN fiber amplifier and demonstrate further scalability to >10 W.

>20 dB optical gain at 852 nm in single-stage ZBLAN fiber amplifier; scalability to >10 W output; all-fiber architecture with immunity to mechanical/thermal disturbances.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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