Gallium-nitride-based interference-filter-stabilized external cavity diode laser with a surface-activated-bonded output coupler

Abstract

We report on an interference-filter-stabilized external cavity diode laser using a gallium-nitride-based violet laser diode. Surface-activated-bonded glass substrates were employed as cat's eye output couplers in order to suppress power degradation due to optical damage. From the results of a long-term frequency-stabilization test, mode-hop-free operation for about one week was demonstrated. After a continuous operation of about three weeks, the power degradation was less than 10%. The results show the potential of such interference-filter-stabilized external cavity diode lasers for practical and portable quantum technologies such as atomic clocks or atomic interferometers.