Characterization of a multifunctional active demultiplexer for optical frequency combs

Colloquium: Femtosecond optical frequency combs

Recently there has been a remarkable synergy between the technologies of precision laser stabilization and mode-locked ultrafast lasers. This has resulted in control of the frequency spectrum produced by mode-locked lasers, which consists of a regular comb of sharp lines. Thus such a controlled mode-locked laser is a ‘‘femtosecond optical frequency comb generator.’’ For a sufficiently broad com...

Optical Frequency Combs: From Frequency Metrology to Optical Phase Control

The merging of continuous wave laser-based precision optical-frequency metrology with mode-locked ultrafast lasers has led to precision control of the visible and near-infrared frequency spectrum produced by mode-locked lasers. Such a phase-controlled mode-locked laser forms the foundation of a “femtosecond optical-frequency comb generator” with a regular comb of sharp lines with well-defined f...

Femtosecond optical parametric oscillator frequency combs

Techniques to measure and manipulate the carrier-envelope phase within femtosecond optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) allow their outputs to be stabilized in a way that produces a frequency comb structure, potentially tunable throughout the transparency band of the gain material. In this review we describe the fundamental principles of phase control, on which the development of singlyand dou...

Distribution of an Ultrastable Frequency Reference Using Optical Frequency Combs

Generation of optical frequency combs with a CaF2 resonator.

We demonstrate optical frequency combs using the fluorite whispering gallery mode resonator as a nonlinear Kerr medium. Two regimes of generation are observed, giving the record low repetition rate of 13 GHz, equal to the cavity's free spectral range (FSR) or high repetition rates of multiples of cavity FSR. An intermediate regime was also observed. Raman lasing spectrum similar to modulation i...