Single-frequency tunable VECSEL around the Cesium D2 line

Abstract : This work reports on an optically-pumped vertical external-cavity surface­emitting laser (VECSEL) emitting around 852 nm for Cesium atomic clocks experiments. We describe the design and the characterization of a VECSEL semiconductor structure suitable for these applications. The parameters of the structure have been optimized in order to have a low threshold and a high gain structure emitting around 852 nm. We achieved an output power of 330 mW for 1.1 W of incident pump power. We are able to simulate the laser emission variations with the temperature of the substrate, the pump radius on the semiconductor structure and the losses inside cavity. A compact and robust setup was built to obtain a stable single-frequency emission. We obtained a 17-mW single frequency emission exhibiting broad and fine tunability around the Cesium D2 line.