Frequency stability of a wavelength meter and applications to laser frequency stabilization

Interferometric wavelength meters have attained frequency resolutions down to the megahertz range. In particular, Fizeau interferometers, which have no moving parts, are becoming a popular tool for laser characterization and stabilization. In this paper, we characterize such a wavelength meter using an ultrastable laser in terms of relative frequency instability sigma(y) (tau) and demonstrate that it can achieve a short-term instability sigma(y) (1s) approximate to 2 x 10(-10) and a frequency drift of order 10 MHz/day. We use this apparatus to demonstrate frequency control of a near-infrared laser, where a frequency instability below 3 x 10(-10) from 1 to 2000 s is achieved. Such performance is, for example, adequate for ion trapping and atom cooling experiments. (C) 2015 Optical Society of America