Digital stabilization of an I/Q modulator in the carrier suppressed single-sideband mode for atom interferometry

Abstract

We present an all-digital method for stabilizing the phase biases in an electro-optic I/Q modulator for carrier-suppressed single-sideband (CS-SSB) modulation. Using programmable logic on the Red Pitaya STEMlab 125-14 platform, we digitally generate and demodulate an auxiliary radio-frequency tone whose beat with the optical carrier probes the I/Q modulator’s phase imbalances. We implement a multiple-input, multiple-output integral feedback controller that accounts for unavoidable cross-couplings in the phase biases to lock the error signals at exactly zero, where optical power fluctuations have no impact on phase stability. We demonstrate >23 dB suppression of the optical carrier relative to the desired sideband at +3.4 GHz over a period of 15 h and over temperature variations of 20◦C. Show more