title: Spectrally narrow, long-term stable optical frequency reference based on a Eu3+:Y2SiO5 crystal at cryogenic temperature.
abstract: Using an ultrastable continuous-wave laser at 580 nm we performed spectral hole burning of Eu(3+):Y(2)SiO(5) at a very high spectral resolution. The essential parameters determining the usefulness as a macroscopic frequency reference, linewidth, temperature sensitivity, and long-term stability, were characterized using a H-maser stabilized frequency comb. Spectral holes with a linewidth as low as 6 kHz were observed and the upper limit of the drift of the hole frequency was determined to be 5±3 mHz/s. We discuss the necessary requirements for achieving ultrahigh stability in laser frequency stabilization to these spectral holes.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Experimentalphysik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany. qun-feng.chen@uni-duesseldorf.de
authors.forename: Qun-Feng
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Andrei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Troshyn
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ernsting
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kayser
authors.forename: Sergey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vasilyev
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nevsky
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schiller