Low-cost setup for generation of 3 GHz frequency difference phase-locked laser light

We have devised an all-optical setup for the generation of two phase-locked laser fields with a frequency difference of 3 GHz using only standard optics and two acousto-optical frequency shifters, that are operated at 253 MHz in sixtupel pass. The spectral width of the beat frequency is measured to be 300 Hz (full width at half maximum) limited by the resolution bandwidth of the spectrum analyzer. We routinely obtain an overall efficiency of more than 15% and demonstrate that the frequency shifted light can be further amplified by injecting it into additional "slave" lasers. This setup provides a low-cost alternative over conventional methods to generate laser fields with difference frequencies in the GHz domain, as for example, used in laser spectroscopy, laser cooling and trapping, and coherent manipulation of atomic quantum states. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0034-6748(00)03109-9].