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Development and Parameterization of a Bidirectional Comb Laser

ORAL

Abstract

A frequency comb is a laser source whose spectrum is made up of discrete, equally spaced frequency lines, similar in shape to the teeth on a comb. Frequency combs are typically created using mode-locked lasers. Since the development of frequency comb technology, a method known as dual-comb spectroscopy (DCS) has attracted attention as a revolutionary approach to optical detection. DCS contains two frequency combs and its working principle is similar to Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). But DCS doesn’t require moving mechanical parts and hence enables the measurement of high-resolution absorption spectra rapidly. In DCS, one frequency comb interrogates the sample and the linear response is sampled in time with another comb that has a slightly different repetition rate. The resulting interferogram is captured by a single photodetector. Because of these qualities DCS is used both in the laboratory and outside for field applications such as atmospheric monitoring. However, DCS setups are expensive as they require two separate mode locked lasers. To overcome this limitation, we built two mode-locked lasers (with different repetition rates) from a single resonator. We successfully produced a dual-comb signal and set up an experiment using a Fabry-Perot interferometer to monitor and remove phase fluctuations. This improvement to DCS makes the technique even more powerful for practical applications outside the laboratory.

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Authors

  • Kelly Fradet

    Santa Clara University

  • Antara Bhattacharya

    SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Reno, 89557, USA, School of Mathematics and Physics, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia, University of California, Berkeley, National Institute for Materials Science, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Santa Clara University, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California San Diego, University of Nevada, Reno, Nihon University, Osaka U., LLNL, SLAC, U. of Nevada, Reno, California State University, Chico, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; UC, Irvine, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Physics, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Oak Ridge National Lab, Department of Physics, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6021, New Zealand, California Polytechnic State University, University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Physics, California Polytechnic State University, Victoria University of Wellington, Palo Alto High School, Palo Alto, CA, Navy Children School, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

  • Antara Bhattacharya

    SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Reno, 89557, USA, School of Mathematics and Physics, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia, University of California, Berkeley, National Institute for Materials Science, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Santa Clara University, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California San Diego, University of Nevada, Reno, Nihon University, Osaka U., LLNL, SLAC, U. of Nevada, Reno, California State University, Chico, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; UC, Irvine, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Physics, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Oak Ridge National Lab, Department of Physics, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6021, New Zealand, California Polytechnic State University, University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Physics, California Polytechnic State University, Victoria University of Wellington, Palo Alto High School, Palo Alto, CA, Navy Children School, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India