TY - JOUR
AU - Jun Ye
AU - H. Schnatz
AU - L. Hollberg
AB - 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 frequencies. For a comb with sufficiently broad bandwidth, it is now straightforward to determine the absolute frequencies of all of the comb lines. This ability has revolutionized optical-frequency metrology, synthesis, and optical atomic clocks. Precision femtosecond optical- frequency combs also have a major impact on time-domain applications, including carrier-envelope phase stabilization, synthesis of a single pulse from two independent lasers, nonlinear spectroscopy, and passive amplifiers based on empty external optical cavities. The authors first review the frequency-domain description of a mode-locked laser and the connection between the carrier-envelope phase and the frequency spectrum to provide a basis for understanding how the absolute frequencies can be determined and controlled. Using this understanding, applications in optical-frequency metrology and synthesis and optical atomic clocks are discussed. This is followed by discussions of time-domain experiments. Index Terms—Atomic clocks, carrier-envelope phase, femtosecond lasers, frequency control, frequency synthesizers, metrology, nonlinear spectroscopy, optical frequency comb, optical frequency measurement, phase-locking, precision measurement, stabilized lasers, synchronization, ultrafast science.
BT - IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics
DA - Jan-07-2003
DO - 10.1109/JSTQE.2003.819109
N2 - 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 frequencies. For a comb with sufficiently broad bandwidth, it is now straightforward to determine the absolute frequencies of all of the comb lines. This ability has revolutionized optical-frequency metrology, synthesis, and optical atomic clocks. Precision femtosecond optical- frequency combs also have a major impact on time-domain applications, including carrier-envelope phase stabilization, synthesis of a single pulse from two independent lasers, nonlinear spectroscopy, and passive amplifiers based on empty external optical cavities. The authors first review the frequency-domain description of a mode-locked laser and the connection between the carrier-envelope phase and the frequency spectrum to provide a basis for understanding how the absolute frequencies can be determined and controlled. Using this understanding, applications in optical-frequency metrology and synthesis and optical atomic clocks are discussed. This is followed by discussions of time-domain experiments. Index Terms—Atomic clocks, carrier-envelope phase, femtosecond lasers, frequency control, frequency synthesizers, metrology, nonlinear spectroscopy, optical frequency comb, optical frequency measurement, phase-locking, precision measurement, stabilized lasers, synchronization, ultrafast science.
PY - 2003
SP - 1041
EP - 1058
T2 - IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics
TI - Optical frequency combs: From frequency metrology to optical phase control
VL - 9
SN - 1077-260X
ER -