Phase-coherent light pulses for atom optics and interferometry

We have developed a novel source for the generation of powerful phase-coherent light pulses. Our setup uses an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) inside an external high-finesse resonator. By applying a short rf pulse to the AOM, we dump the cavity and extract a large part of the stored and enhanced power within a short optical pulse and with a controllable optical phase. In preliminary experiments we reached 100 W of peak power in a 15-ns optical pulse. The mutual phase coherence of successive light pulses is demonstrated with a molecular iodine interferometer experiment in a cell. (C) 1997 Optical Society of America.