Optical frequency synthesis based on mode-locked lasers

Cundiff, Steven T.; Ye, Jun; Hall, John L.

doi:10.1063/1.1400144

Cited by 218 publications

(103 citation statements)

References 125 publications

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“…Another approach has been the idea of imprinting the accuracy of an optical frequency comb to a transfer laser with higher intensity, which is already utilized since the first spectroscopy experiments with frequency combs and enabling determination of transition frequencies of sin-gle atomic and molecular resonances with unprecedented accuracy [1,9]. While in this scheme, the transfer laser has to remain phase locked to a frequency comb or high finesse cavity, the latter makes it challenging to perform measurements over a large bandwidth within short timescales [10,11].…”

Section: Fig 1: Measurement Schemementioning

confidence: 99%

Frequency comb assisted diode laser spectroscopy for measurement of microcavity dispersion

et al. 2009

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While being invented for precision measurement of single atomic transitions, frequency combs have also become a versatile tool for broadband spectroscopy in the last years. In this paper we present a novel and simple approach for broadband spectroscopy, combining the accuracy of an optical fiber-laser-based frequency comb with the ease-of-use of a tunable external cavity diode laser. This scheme enables broadband and fast spectroscopy of microresonator modes and allows for precise measurements of their dispersion, which is an important precondition for broadband optical frequency comb generation that has recently been demonstrated in these devices. Moreover, we find excellent agreement of measured microresonator dispersion with predicted values from finite element simulations and we show that tailoring microresonator dispersion can be achieved by adjusting their geometrical properties.Spectroscopy has attracted attention of generations of scientists, starting with Fraunhofer's discovery of dark lines in the sun spectrum in 1814 and the work of Kirchhoff and Bunsen in 1859. Within the last decade, the invention of the optical frequency comb has revolutionized the field of spectroscopy and allowed measurements with previously unattainable precision [1,2,3]. However, despite significant advances [4,5,6,7,8], the use of frequency combs for precise broadband spectroscopy has remained challenging owing to low optical power per comb line and the difficulty to resolve features that are smaller than the combs free spectral range.Here, we present a novel and easy-to-use scheme for fast, broadband and precise spectroscopy combining the accuracy of an optical frequency comb with the broad bandwidth, high power and tunability of a mode-hopfree external cavity diode laser. We achieve sub-MHzresolution over a bandwidth exceeding 4 THz in the 1550-nm range at scanning speeds up to 1 THz per second. As application of the scheme we present measurements of the transmission spectra of ultra-high-Q microcavities, which exhibit spectrally narrow absorption features (< 10 MHz). Our novel technique allows us to determine microcavity dispersion over a broad wavelength region for the first time. The combination of high resolution, extremely high scanning speed and ease of use makes this technique promising for a wide range of applications in photonics, sensing, photonic device or laser characterization.Using optical frequency combs for broadband spectroscopy has so far been carried out in several ways. A powerful approach -that uses all comb modes simultaneously -is based on the use of two frequency combs, with slightly different repetition rates. This multi-heterodyne technique allows to map large optical bandwidth into the radio frequency signals [5,6,7]. While highly accurate Hz * Electronic address: tobias.kippenberg@epfl.ch level spectroscopy using simultaneously all comb modes has been achieved, the major drawback of this method is that it cannot resolve features below the repetition rate of the comb. This requires to scan the offs...

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Section: Fig 1: Measurement Schemementioning

confidence: 99%

Frequency comb assisted diode laser spectroscopy for measurement of microcavity dispersion

et al. 2009

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“…In a recent review [11] on the implications of the CEO phase on metrology [12,13], the authors state in their outlook: ''. .…”

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confidence: 99%

Role of the Carrier-Envelope Offset Phase of Few-Cycle Pulses in Nonperturbative Resonant Nonlinear Optics

et al. 2002

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We study the influence of the carrier-envelope offset phase of few-cycle pulses on nonperturbative resonant extreme nonlinear optics in a semiconductor. If the Rabi frequency becomes comparable to the light frequency, the different Rabi sidebands interfere around twice the laser center frequency, giving rise to a signal which strongly depends on the carrier-envelope offset phase. This signature should be measurable in GaAs samples. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.127401 PACS numbers: 78.47.+p, 42.50.Md, 42.65.Re The rapid development of yet shorter and shorter laser pulses [1] has now led us into a regime in which the phase between the rapidly oscillating light frequency and the electric field envelope has become a relevant quantity [2 -4]. This carrier-envelope offset (CEO) phase, , of a single few-cycle pulse can significantly influence the outcome of an experiment. It has to be distinguished from the well-known relative optical phase, i.e., the phase between two different beams or pulses.In order to fix the CEO frequency f , recent work [5,6] has, for example, used the interference of the fundamental frequency of a laser pulse, which was spectrally broadened by self-phase modulation in a (photonic crystal) fiber of a few millimeter length, with the second harmonic generated with the help of a separate crystal. In Ref. [7], the same idea was used, except for the fact that the fundamental spectrum did already cover one octave, hence no need for additional broadening. Somewhat similar to this, Ref. [8] proposed to use the interference of the third harmonic, generated at a silicon wafer surface, with the second harmonic generated in a separate crystal. All the optical nonlinearities used in these and other [9] cases are off-resonant and within the perturbative regime; i.e., an expansion in terms of nonlinear optical susceptibilities is meaningful. Furthermore, in most of these cases, the pulses have to propagate over a considerable distance within the apparatus and, hence, the difference between the phase velocity and the group velocity can change the CEO phase within the measurement setup. Currently, this is the main obstacle in measuring .A nonperturbative and, hence, distinctly different way to determine the CEO phase would be via x-ray generation in extreme nonlinear optics in atoms [1,10]. In a recent review [11] on the implications of the CEO phase on metrology [12,13], the authors state in their outlook: ''. . . If an experimental technique can be developed that is sensitive to the carrier-envelope phase and works with the direct output of a mode-locked oscillator (i.e., without that amplification that will be necessary for extreme nonlinear optics), it may in turn benefit optical-frequency synthesis because it may create a simpler technique for determining/controlling the comb offset frequency. '' In this Letter, we show that resonant extreme nonlinear optics in a solid, exemplified by carrier-wave Rabi flopping [14], shows a dependence on the CEO phase , which potentially allows one to determine . The ...

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“…It is at moderate intensity levels (I 0 ≈ 10 12 W cm −2 ) in the laboratory [41,42], and this kind of ultrashort pulse can be produced with the direct output of a mode-locked oscillator (i.e. without amplification) [43]. Figure 1 presents the transmitted spectra at the propagation distance of z = 180 μm as a function of the frequency ω and the CEP φ of the initial incident few-cycle pulse.…”

Section: Theoretical Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carrier-envelope phase-dependent transmitted spectra in inversion-asymmetric media with permanent dipole moments

Yang¹,

Xia²,

Zhang³

et al. 2009

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

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We investigate the transmitted spectra of a few-cycle ultrashort pulse in an inversion-asymmetric medium with a permanent dipole moment (PDM). Our results show that even-order harmonics can be generated in this medium. Moreover, the generated even-order harmonics depend strongly on the carrier-envelope phase (CEP) of initial incident few-cycle ultrashort pulses. Physical analysis of the re-emitted spectra of the medium reveals that the CEP-dependent spectral effect is originated from the inversion-asymmetric structure and the corresponding PDM effects: two-photon transition dominates in the nonlinear process and further induces the generations of the even-order harmonics. Furthermore, the orientation relation between the electric field peak of the pulse and the PDM results in even-order harmonic generations depending on the CEP.

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Optical frequency synthesis based on mode-locked lasers

Cited by 218 publications

References 125 publications

Frequency comb assisted diode laser spectroscopy for measurement of microcavity dispersion

Frequency comb assisted diode laser spectroscopy for measurement of microcavity dispersion

Role of the Carrier-Envelope Offset Phase of Few-Cycle Pulses in Nonperturbative Resonant Nonlinear Optics

Carrier-envelope phase-dependent transmitted spectra in inversion-asymmetric media with permanent dipole moments

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