Construction of a 670nm (Li) tunable External Cavity Diode Laser

This semester we will be working on completing fabrication of an ECDL laser with a Lithium wavelength of 670 nm, including the required electronics. Last semester substantial progress was made building the laser: ordering of mechanical, optical and electronics parts, machining of parts and substantial fabrication. We now need to purchase the laser diode for our laser to complete construction and achieve feedback. We're continuing to work from the New Generation ECDL based on the Austrian Design (Hawthorn, et.al. Rev. Sci. Instrum., Vol. 72, No. 12, December 2001) that eliminates laser ``walk'' as a function of tuning. The long-term goal of the lab is to build a Visible Magneto Optical Trap (MOT) using neutral Li atoms, similar to the experiment which won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997. The biggest advantage of a Lithium laser is that it eliminates the need for multiple lasers because we are able to modulate the current of our laser and use the two sideband frequencies to achieve trapping and re-pumping all with one beam. We will then be able to run the lasers characterizing the major laser output parameters including power, tuning range and stability.