A frequency comb stabilized Ti:Sa laser as a self-reference for ion-trap experiments with a 40Ca+ ion

Abstract

In this study, we report on the stabilization of a continuous-wave Ti:Sa laser to an optical frequency comb. The laser is emitting at 866 nm to address one of the transitions required for Doppler cooling of a single 40Ca+ ion in a linear Paul trap (2D3/2 [Formula: see text]). The stabilized Ti:Sa laser is utilized to calibrate an ultra-accurate wavelength meter. We certify this self-reference laser source by comparing the results from monitoring the laser-cooled 40Ca+ ion in the linear Paul trap, with those obtained when a HeNe laser is used for calibration. The use of this self-reference is compatible with the simultaneous use of the comb for precision spectroscopy in the same ion-trap experiment.