title: An open source digital servo for atomic, molecular, and optical physics experiments.
abstract: We describe a general purpose digital servo optimized for feedback control of lasers in atomic, molecular, and optical physics experiments. The servo is capable of feedback bandwidths up to roughly 1 MHz (limited by the 320 ns total latency); loop filter shapes up to fifth order; multiple-input, multiple-output control; and automatic lock acquisition. The configuration of the servo is controlled via a graphical user interface, which also provides a rudimentary software oscilloscope and tools for measurement of system transfer functions. We illustrate the functionality of the digital servo by describing its use in two example scenarios: frequency control of the laser used to probe the narrow clock transition of (27)Al(+) in an optical atomic clock, and length control of a cavity used for resonant frequency doubling of a laser.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Leibrandt
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heidecker