Sub-kilohertz linewidth free-running monolithic cavity VECSEL with 10−12 stability

We report the development of a compact, highly stable, monolithic-cavity, GaInP/AlGaInP-based vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) with electronically tunable emission wavelength centered at 689.4425 nm for neutral strontium (Sr)-based applications. The output power reaches 40 mW (pump-power-limited) with ultra-low frequency and intensity noise performance resulting in a free-running linewidth of 720 Hz, reduced to 390 Hz when frequency locked to a reference cavity and verified via a heterodyne beat note measurement with 2 s averaging time. For shorter averaging times (0.1 ms), the free-running linewidth is as low as 40 Hz. We estimate a Lorentzian, or intrinsic, linewidth of 64 mHz from the frequency noise power spectral density at high frequencies, thus providing further evidence of the ultra-narrow fundamental linewidth of VECSELs. High frequency stability was measured via Allan deviation resulting in 1.05 × 10−12 at 2 s and 2.11 × 10−13 at 7 s averaging times when the 689 nm monolithic cavity VECSEL is free-running and locked, respectively, suitable for neutral Sr-based quantum technologies, such as optical clocks and atom interferometry.