Offset sideband locking to iodine for laser cooling on the $\mathrm{{}^1 S_0}\rightarrow \mathrm{{}^3 P_1}$ transition of ${}^{171}\mathrm{Yb}$

Abstract

We present absolute frequency measurements of a laser stabilized using an offset sideband locking technique on the P(49)24-1 rovibrational transition of $^{127}\mathrm{I}_2$ near 556 nm. The P(49)24-1 transition is offset by 4.8 GHz from the intercombination transition of ${}^{171}\mathrm{Yb}$. A dual-tone electro-optical modulator is employed to bridge this frequency gap, enabling frequency stabilization of the 556 nm laser near the Yb transition, achieving a fractional frequency stability of $1.2 \times 10^{-11}$ at one second. We thoroughly characterize the frequency shifts associated with this locking scheme, with typical systematic effects fractional uncertainties of $9 \times 10^{-12}$.