Semiconductor diode lasers are successful tools in atomic spectroscopy. They are routinely used in frequency conversion applications to develop devices that access regions of the spectrum not directly available. This thesis describes the practical application of novel violet diode laser systems and their possible inclusion in spectroscopic systems. The design, assembly and successful operation of a doubly resonant optical parametric oscillator is described. There is discussion of the spectral behaviour of the device and the potential for pumping with a violet diode laser. Methods to adapt the output from the solitary diode devices are demonstrated with the use of microlensed diode lasers and extended cavity configurations. Details of the current tuning, linewidth and smooth tuning characteristics of a number of the lasers used are given. A commercial violet diode laser is used within an extended cavity to measure the hyperfine structure of atomic indium from a hollow cathode galvatron source at room temperature. Stabilisation of the diode laser to a line from the indium spectrum is attempted. The remainder of the thesis is concerned with the development of techniques to deliver clearer and more precise spectral information about trace species. Microlensed red and violet diode lasers are used to generate light at 254nm via sum frequency generation for the direct detection and modulation spectroscopy of mercury vapour, with microlensed lasers with modulation allowing more accurate discrimination between spectral features than direct absorption measurements. In addition Raman tweezers modulation spectroscopy is undertaken to investigate polymer microspheres and biological cell samples where the use of the modulation technique demonstrated improvements in the acquisition time and clarity of spectra through increased signal to noise and rejection of background fluorescence effects. A comparison between the direct and modulation techniques for all the systems indicates the greater sensitivity of the modulation technique.

Atominterferometer erlauben es, Beschleunigungen mit bisher nicht erreichter Präzision zu messen. Anwendungen in der Grundlagenforschung beinhalten Gravitationswellendetektoren, die Bestimmung von Naturkonstanten oder Tests des schwachen Äquivalenzprinzips. Die Sensitivität eines Sensors für Tests des schwachen Äquivalenzprinzips skaliert quadratisch mit der Zeit der freien Entwicklung der Atome während der Interferometersequenz. Durch die Verwendung von Bose-Einstein-Kondensaten mit stark reduzierter Ausdehnungsgeschwindigkeit sowie dem Betrieb in Schwerelosigkeit kann die Sensitivität um Größenordnungen verbessert werden. Das QUANTUS-2 Experiment stellt die zweite Generation eines mobilen Atominterferometers dar, welches am Fallturm in Bremen zum Einsatz kommt und dient als Wegbereiter für zukünftige Experimente mit kalten Atomen auf Satelliten. Durch differentielle Messung der Beschleunigung von Rubidium und Kalium mit Hilfe der Atominterferometrie soll das schwache Äquivalenzprinzip getestet werden. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde das auf mikro-integrierten Diodenlasern sowie einer kompakten Elektronik basierende Rubidiumlasersystem aufgebaut und qualifiziert. Nach erfolgter Integration in die QUANTUS-2 Kapsel, wurden über 200 Abwürfe und Katapultflüge am Fallturm absolviert. Diese demonstrieren die Robustheit des Experimentes unter Beschleunigungen von bis zu 43 g während eines Katapultfluges. Die Dynamik des Kondensates wurde in Schwerelosigkeit untersucht und die Ausbreitungsgeschwindigkeit in allen drei Raumrichtungen mit Hilfe einer magnetischen Linse verringert. Die dabei erreichten Ausbreitungsgeschwindigkeiten entsprechen effektiven Temperaturen von unter 120 pK eines thermischen Ensembles. Dieser stellt den niedrigsten in allen drei Raumrichtungen erreichten Wert dar. Die gezeigten Ergebnisse demonstrieren somit die Verfügbarkeit wichtiger Schlüsselkonzepte zukünftiger hochpräziser Quantensensoren auf Satelliten. / Atom interferometers offer the possibility to measure accelerations with unprecedented precision. Applications in fundamental research include gravitational wave detectors, the determination of physical constants, or tests of the weak equivalence principle. The sensitivity of an atom interferometer testing the weak equivalence principle scales quadratically with the time of free evolution of the atoms during the interferometer sequence. By using Bose-Einstein condensates with ultra-low expansion rates as test masses and operating the experiment in microgravity, one can enhance the sensitivity by orders of magnitude. QUANTUS-2 is the second generation mobile atom interferometer to be operated at the drop tower in Bremen and serves as a pathfinder for future cold atom experiments in space. It is envisaged to test the weak equivalence principle by a differential measurement of the acceleration of rubidium and potassium by means of atom interferometry. Within this thesis, the rubidium laser system was set up and qualified. It is based on micro-integrated laser modules and compact electronics. After integration into the QUANTUS-2 capsule, 200 drops and catapult flights were conducted at the drop tower. These are demonstrating the robustness of the complete experiment when being subjected to accelerations of up to 43 g during a catapult flight. The dynamics of the condensate were analyzed and the mean kinetic energy was reduced in all three dimensions by means of a magnetic lens. Expansion rates equivalent to a thermal ensemble having a temperature below 120 pK have been reached and represent the lowest value ever achieved in all three dimensions. The results prove the availability of relevant key concepts for future high-precision quantum sensors on a satellite platform.