We characterize a high-finesse Fabry-Perot resonator for coupling with single neutral atoms. Our cavity consists of two mirrors with different reflectivities: One has minimal optical loss, and the other high transmission loss where more than 90% of the intracavity photons would be emitted. Cavity finesse, birefringent effects, and mechanical resonances are measured using the lasers at 780, 782, and 795 nm. In order to obtain cavity geometric parameters, we drive the adjacent longitudinal or transverse modes with two lasers simultaneously, and measure those frequencies using a precision wavelength meter (WLM). A major novelty of this method is that the parameters uncertainty is solely determined by the resolution of the WLM, eliminating all of the temporal environment fluctuations. Moreover, the technique with two lasers consists of a vital approach for determining geometric parameters of a short cavity, with a free spectral range on the order of THz. Our system operates in the strong atom-cavity coupling regime that allows us to explore fundamental quantum optics and implement quantum network protocols.
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