First international comparison of femtosecond laser combs at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures

Ma, Lei; Robertsson, L.; Picard, S.; Zucco, Massimo; Bi, Zhiyi; Wu, Steven S.; Windeler, R.S.

doi:10.1364/ol.29.000641

Cited by 20 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…In other work, the long-term (typical averaging times 1000 s) frequency stability of the FLFC has been addressed. A few such tests have been performed using microwave standards to reference FLFCs, which were subsequently compared in the optical domain (i.e., microwave-to-optical synthesis) [20]- [22], resulting in relative uncertainty as low as 5 10 . Referencing the FLFC to an optical standard provides improved stability allowing shorter averaging time, leading to lower uncertainty.…”

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confidence: 99%

Frequency Uncertainty for Optically Referenced Femtosecond Laser Frequency Combs

Bartels

et al. 2007

IEEE J. Quantum Electron.

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We present measurements and analysis of the currently known relative frequency uncertainty of femtosecond laser frequency combs (FLFCs) based on Kerr-lens mode-locked Ti:sapphire lasers. Broadband frequency combs generated directly from the laser oscillator, as well as octave-spanning combs generated with nonlinear optical fiber are compared. The relative frequency uncertainty introduced by an optically referenced FLFC is measured for both its optical and microwave outputs. We find that the relative frequency uncertainty of the optical and microwave outputs of the FLFC can be as low as 8 10 20 and 1.7 10 18 , with a confidence level of 95%, respectively. Photo-detection of the optical pulse train introduces a small amount of excess noise, which degrades the stability and subsequent relative frequency uncertainty limit of the microwave output to 2.6 10 17 .

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confidence: 99%

Frequency Uncertainty for Optically Referenced Femtosecond Laser Frequency Combs

Bartels

et al. 2007

IEEE J. Quantum Electron.

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“…The method used in the first international comparison of femtosecond laser combs at the BIPM has been described in detail in a previous report [16]. The repetition rates of the two transportable combs are near 800 MHz.…”

Section: Experiments and Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The summed frequency is independent of the frequency drift of the Nd:YAG laser. The comparisons were performed by counting the beat signal of and comparing the resulting beat frequency with the expected value [16]. In the total measurement time of 18 300 s, the frequency agreement among the three combs (BIPM-C1, BIPM-C2, and ECNU-C1) was within 0.7 Hz at 563 THz.…”

Section: Experiments and Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

International Comparisons of Femtosecond Laser Frequency Combs

Bi²,

Bartels³

et al. 2005

IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas.

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Abstract-Two types of international comparisons of femtosecond laser frequency combs have been performed in France and the USA. Five combs were involved in the comparisons. Three combs, of which two are transportable, employ nonlinear photonic crystal fiber (PCF) to obtain a wide spectrum covering a full optical octave. The other two are based on broadband femtosecond lasers and require no PCF. The comparisons were performed by counting the optical heterodyne beats between pairs of combs. The frequency agreement among three combs was at the subhertz level in the 563 THz part of the comb spectrum when the combs were referenced to a hydrogen maser. When the combs were referenced to an optical standard, the frequency agreement among four combs was much improved and found to be at the 10 19 level in the spectral range of 333-473 THz. The fact that this result is obtained by five independent measurement systems (combs) strengthens the conclusion that no systematic effects are present at this level.Index Terms-Femtosecond laser, frequency measurement, frequency standards.

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“…Several recent experiments have tested the fidelity of the FLFCs, including: uniformity of the comb spacing, second harmonic ratios, reproducibility as a frequency translator and divider, etc [154,[167][168][169]. Even with the high nonlinearities, the strong optical frequency chirp, and distortion of the optical pulses in the lasers and nonlinear fibres, the time-averaged frequencies of the optical comb lines obey the simple optical comb equation.…”

Section: Optical Frequency Metrologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Optical frequency/wavelength references

Hollberg¹,

Oates²,

Wilpers³

et al. 2005

J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys.

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For more than 100 years, optical atomic/molecular frequency references have played important roles in science and technology, and provide standards enabling precision measurements. Frequency-stable optical sources have been central to experimental tests of Einstein's relativity, and also serve to realize our base unit of length. The technology has evolved from atomic discharge lamps and interferometry, to narrow atomic resonances in laser-cooled atoms that are probed by frequency-stabilized cw lasers that in turn control optical frequency synthesizers (combs) based on ultra-fast mode-locked lasers. Recent technological advances have improved the performance of optical frequency references by almost four orders of magnitude in the last eight years. This has stimulated new enthusiasm for the development of optical atomic clocks, and allows new probes into nature, such as searches for time variation of fundamental constants and precision spectroscopy.

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First international comparison of femtosecond laser combs at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures

Cited by 20 publications

References 13 publications

Frequency Uncertainty for Optically Referenced Femtosecond Laser Frequency Combs

Frequency Uncertainty for Optically Referenced Femtosecond Laser Frequency Combs

International Comparisons of Femtosecond Laser Frequency Combs

Optical frequency/wavelength references

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