  We have developed a senior undergraduate experiment that illustrates
frequency stabilization techniques using radio-frequency electronics. The
primary objective is to frequency stabilize a voltage controlled oscillator to
a cavity resonance at 800 MHz using the Pound-Drever-Hall method. This
technique is commonly applied to stabilize lasers at optical frequencies. By
using only radio-frequency equipment it is possible to systematically study
aspects of the technique more thoroughly, inexpensively, and free from eye
hazards. Students also learn about modular radio-frequency electronics and
basic feedback control loops. By varying the temperature of the resonator,
students can determine the thermal expansion coefficients of copper, aluminum,
and super invar.
