Frequency stabilization of DBR diode laser against Cs absorption lines at 852 nm using the modulation transfer method

Preliminary results on absolute frequency stabilization of Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) diode lasers with emission wavelength at 852 nm are reported. Saturated absorption D/sub 2/ lines of cesium atoms have been adopted as a frequency reference and the nonlinear spectroscopy method of modulation transfer has been used to lock the laser frequency against the resonance. The analysis of the beat signal between two independent laser systems has showed a relative frequency stability of 10/sup -11/ for an integration time of 0.1 s, and a frequency noise floor in the order of /spl ap/10/sup -12/ for an integration time of 1 s seems attainable.