Tests of Cryogenic Fabry–Perot Cavity with Mirrors on Different Substrates

Abstract

Experiments were performed with Fabry–Perot optical resonators in vacuum at low temperatures. Mirrors were applied on substrates of various optical materials. An infrared laser with a wavelength of 1.064 microns was used. The pump power at the maximum could reach 450 mW. The evolution of the optical properties of the FP cavity was traced in the temperature range 300–10 K. The main parameters measured were the integral characteristics of the FP resonances–sharpness (finesse) and contrast of interference. Three types of substrates were tested: a sitall, an optical glass with ultra low thermal expansion (ULE); sapphire; and calcium fluoride. During cooling, the degradation of the integral characteristics of the FP cavity was observed for the sitall mirrors due to the loss of the properties of ULE, and for sapphire mirrors due to the birefringence effect. The satisfactory constancy of the integral characteristics of the FP resonator on calcium fluoride was demonstrated in the entire temperature range studied.

Keywords

• cryogenic Fabry-Perot cavity
• cooled mirrors
• optical frequency standards
• gravitational wave laser interferometers