Mechanical sharing dual-comb fiber laser based on an all-polarization-maintaining cavity configuration.

We present a mechanical sharing, dual-comb fiber laser based on an all-polarization-maintaining cavity configuration and a nonlinear amplifying loop mirror mode-locking mechanism. This simple setup yields dual-optical frequency combs with a high level of mutual coherence without active servo control. We realized a high relative stability with a standard deviation of 0.27 Hz and a relative beat note between the dual-frequency combs with a full-width at half-maximum of ∼50Hz. Dual-frequency combs were found to have high relative stability and mutual coherence owing to passive common-mode noise suppression using a mechanical sharing laser cavity. This laser configuration can significantly simplify dual-comb spectroscopy.

Computationally image-corrected dual-comb microscopy with a free-running single-cavity dual-comb fiber laser.

Dual-comb microscopy (DCM), an interesting imaging modality based on the optical-frequency-comb (OFC) mode and image pixel one-to-one correspondence, benefits from scan-less full-field imaging and simultaneous confocal amplitude and phase imaging. However, the two fully frequency-stabilized OFC sources requirement hampers DCM practicality due to the complexity and costs. Here, a bidirectional single-cavity dual-comb fiber laser (SCDCFL) is adopted as a DCM low-complexity OFC source. Although the residual timing jitter in the SCDCFL blurs the image of a static object acquired by DCM, computational image correction significantly suppresses the image blur. Nanometer-order step surface profilometry with a 14.0 nm uncertainty highlights the computationally image-corrected DCM effectiveness. We further discuss a possibility to expand the computational image correction to a dynamic object and demonstrate its preliminary experiment. The proposed method enhances the DCM generality and practicality due to low-complexity OFC source.

Phase-stabilized all-fiber-based mode-filtering technique for generating a gigahertz frequency comb.

An all-fiber-based mode-filtering technique is developed for generating a gigahertz-repetition-rate fiber-based frequency comb with a multiplication factor of 21. A high side-mode suppression ratio of approximately 65 dB is achieved by introducing a thermally diffused expanded core fiber between the dispersion compensating fiber and single-mode fiber to reduce splice loss. The fiber cavity length is also stabilized such that the resonance frequency is locked to the comb mode by applying the Pound-Drever-Hall stabilization technique. The proposed stabilized all-fiber-based mode-filtering technique is expected to be an attractive choice for a variety of applications that require a high-repetition-rate frequency comb.

Optical-optical double-resonance dual-comb spectroscopy with pump-intensity modulation.

We apply an intensity-modulation technique to dual-comb spectroscopy to improve its detection sensitivity. The scheme is demonstrated via Doppler-free optical-optical double-resonance spectroscopy of Rb by modulating the intensity of a pump laser with frequencies set at rates 3 times lower and 50,000 times higher than the difference in the repetition rates of the two frequency combs. The signal-to-noise ratios are enhanced by 3 and 6 times for slow and fast modulations, respectively, compared to those of conventional dual-comb spectroscopy without any intensity modulation. The technique is widely applicable to pump-probe spectroscopy with dual-comb spectroscopy and provides high detection sensitivity.

All-polarization-maintaining, polarization-multiplexed, dual-comb fiber laser with a nonlinear amplifying loop mirror.

We developed an all-polarization-maintaining, polarization-multiplexed, dual-comb fiber laser with a nonlinear amplifying loop mirror (NALM) mode-locking mechanism. Owing to the use of the slow and fast axes of a polarization-maintaining fiber (PMF), the dual-frequency combs with slightly different repetition rates from the single-laser cavity are generated at the same center wavelength without extra-cavity nonlinear spectral broadening. The narrow relative beat note between the two frequency combs is obtained with a full-width-at-half-maximum of ~1 kHz in the optical frequency domain. The two frequency combs have high relative stability and mutual coherence owing to passive common-mode noise cancellation.

High-coherence ultra-broadband bidirectional dual-comb fiber laser.

Dual-comb spectroscopy has emerged as an attractive spectroscopic tool for high-speed, high-resolution, and high-sensitivity broadband spectroscopy. It exhibits certain advantages when compared to the conventional Fourier-transform spectroscopy. However, the high cost of the conventional system, which is based on two mode-locked lasers and a complex servo system with a common single-frequency laser, limits the applicability of the dual-comb spectroscopy system. In this study, we overcame this problem with a bidirectional dual-comb fiber laser that generates two high-coherence ultra-broadband frequency combs with slightly different repetition rates (frep). The two direct outputs from the single-laser cavity displayed broad spectra of > 50 nm; moreover, an excessively small difference in the repetition rate (< 1.5 Hz) was achieved with high relative stability, owing to passive common-mode noise cancellation. With this slight difference in the repetition rate, the applicable optical spectral bandwidth in dual-comb spectroscopy could attain ~479 THz (~3,888 nm). In addition, we successfully generated high-coherence ultra-broadband frequency combs via nonlinear spectral broadening and detected high signal-to-noise-ratio carrier-envelope offset frequency (fCEO) beat signals using the self-referencing technique. We also demonstrated the high relative stability between the two fCEO beat signals and tunability. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of fCEO detection and frequency measurement using a self-referencing technique for a dual-comb fiber laser. The developed high-coherence ultra-broadband dual-comb fiber laser with capability of fCEO detection is likely to be a highly effective tool in practical, high-sensitivity, ultra-broadband applications.

Refractive-index-sensing optical comb based on photonic radio-frequency conversion with intracavity multi-mode interference fiber sensor.

Optical frequency combs (OFCs) have attracted attention as optical frequency rulers due to their tooth-like discrete spectra together with their inherent mode-locking nature and phase-locking control to a frequency standard. Based on this concept, their applications until now have been demonstrated in the fields of optical frequency metrology. However, if the utility of OFCs can be further expanded beyond their application by exploiting new aspects of OFCs, this will lead to new developments in optical metrology and instrumentation. Here, we report a fiber sensing application of OFCs based on a coherent link between the optical and radio frequencies, enabling high-precision refractive index measurement based on frequency measurement in radio-frequency (RF) region. Our technique encodes a refractive index change of a liquid sample into a repetition frequency of OFC by a combination of an intracavity multi-mode-interference fiber sensor and wavelength dispersion of a cavity fiber. Then, the change in refractive index is read out by measuring the repetition frequency in RF region based on a frequency standard. Use of an OFC as a photonic RF converter will lead to the development of new applications in high-precision fiber sensing with the help of functional fiber sensors and precise RF measurement.

Low-noise 750 MHz spaced ytterbium fiber frequency combs.

We demonstrate two low-noise 750 MHz ytterbium fiber frequency combs that are independently stabilized to a continuous-wave laser. A bulk electro-optic modulator and a single-stack piezo-electric transducer are employed as fast actuators for stabilizing the respective cavity length to heterodyne beat notes. Both combs exhibit in-loop fractional frequency instabilities of ∼10-18 at 1 s. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of tightly phase-locked (<1 rad root mean square phase noise integrated from 0.1 Hz to 10 MHz) fiber frequency combs with 750 MHz fundamental repetition rate.

Multi-branch fiber comb with relative frequency uncertainty at 10-20 using fiber noise difference cancellation.

In multi-branch combs, the comb outputs from the branches suffer from different fiber noises, which often limit the uncertainty of the combs referring a highly-stable optical frequency. To overcome this limitation, we introduced fiber noise difference cancellation to multi-branch fiber combs. We detected and phase-locked the beat notes between the branch outputs and a common 1542 nm continuous wave laser. A piezo-electric transducer-based fiber stretcher was installed in each branch except for the branch used as the cancellation reference. We fabricated two quasi-identical combs with this mechanism and confirmed the relative frequency uncertainty by comparing them. The cancellation improved the frequency uncertainty to a low level of 10-20 at a 100000-s averaging time.

Precise and highly-sensitive Doppler-free two-photon absorption dual-comb spectroscopy using pulse shaping and coherent averaging for fluorescence signal detection.

We demonstrated Doppler-free two-photon absorption dual-comb spectroscopy of 5S1/2 - 5D5/2 and 5D3/2 transitions of Rb. We employed simple pulse-shaping of the dual-comb source and eliminated Doppler-broadening backgrounds, which cause fitting errors of the Doppler-free signals. Moreover, to improve sensitivity, we investigated the coherence in dual-comb fluorescence signals and the coherent averaging method was applied to fluorescence dual-comb detection for the first time. The detection sensitivity was significantly improved by coherent averaging to reduce the noise floor. Observed Doppler-free spectra was fitted to Voigt profiles and we performed absolute frequency determination with a precision of about 100 kHz.

Strain sensing based on strain to radio-frequency conversion of optical frequency comb.

We propose an optical frequency comb (OFC)-based strain sensing method, namely OFC sensing cavity, which is capable of radio-frequency (RF)-based strain measurement. We developed a null-method-based strain sensing system with a comb-spacing-stabilized OFC generator. We realized strain measurement from 1.83 µÎµ to 1800 µÎµ with a sensing fiber length of 20 mm. The measurable strain frequency range of the developed strain sensing system was from 0 to 310 Hz. Owing to the use of RF-based strain measurement, our approach would be a useful and powerful tool for sensing of strain or other physical quantities, and the concept of the OFC sensing cavity is a new aspect of OFC technology.

Mode-filtering technique based on all-fiber-based external cavity for fiber-based optical frequency comb.

We developed a mode-filtering technique based on the all-fiber-based external cavity for a fiber-based optical frequency comb for high repetition rate (frep) frequency comb, and the carrier envelope offset frequency (fceo) can be detected and stabilized and is robust to environmental fluctuations. To achieve multiplication of the frep with a high multiplication factor using the fiber ring cavity, a long fiber was developed to mitigate the physical limitation inhibiting the shortening of the cavity length. In this study, the length of the fiber cavity was set to 6.7 m (free spectral range = 44.7 MHz) as the fiber-based comb length was 6.1 m. We were able to demonstrate a multiplication factor of 11, i.e., frep increased from 48.7 MHz to 536.0 MHz with a side mode suppression ratio of about 25 dB using the double-pass configuration.

Sensitivity improvement of dual-comb spectroscopy using mode-filtering technique.

In this study, we demonstrated an improvement in the detection sensitivity of dual-comb spectroscopy using the repetition rate multiplication of optical frequency combs. We compared the dual-comb signals in three dual-comb setups consisting of combinations of two combs with and without mode-filtering, and investigated how the repetition rate influences the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of dual-comb measurements. The dual-comb setups using high-repetition-rate combs enabled the absorption lines of HCN gas to be measured with a high SNR in a short averaging time, and real-time spectral data acquisition was realized using a low-sensitivity and low-resolution RF spectrum analyzer.

Fully stabilized 750-MHz Yb: fiber frequency comb.

This study focuses on presenting a fully stabilized, self-referenced Yb:fiber frequency comb respectively phase locked to a microwave standard and an optical reference employing the highest, fundamental repetition rate of 750-MHz without additional external amplifiers and compressors. In addition, the challenge of phase locking the carrier envelop offset frequency for this high-repetition-rate fiber frequency comb is separately investigated in two schemes, namely, f-2f self-referencing and an approach of phase locking a beat note between the Yb: fiber frequency comb and a continuous wave laser.

Fully stabilized 750-MHz Yb: fiber frequency comb: erratum.

A statement error was produced in the text introducing the previous literatures in [Opt. Express25, 11910 (2017)10.1364/OE.25.011910]. Here, we correct this error and clarify that this is only due to the simple editing mistake, not related to the scientific misunderstanding about the referenced literatures. Thus, all the conclusions written in [Opt. Express25, 11910 (2017)10.1364/OE.25.011910] remain unchanged by this correction.

Doppler-free dual-comb spectroscopy of Rb using optical-optical double resonance technique.

We present a Doppler-free high-resolution dual-comb spectroscopy technique in which a dual-comb system is employed to perform optical-optical double-resonance (OODR) spectroscopy. In our experimental study, Doppler-free high-resolution and high-frequency-accuracy broadband measurements were realized using the proposed OODR dual-comb spectroscopic technique, which does not require high-power-per-mode frequency combs. We observed fully resolved hyperfine spectra of 5P3/2 - 4D5/2, 4D3/2 transitions of Rb at 1530 nm and precisely determined the absolute frequencies of the transitions, with an uncertainty of less than 1 MHz. The variations of the OODR spectral line shapes due to power broadening and alignment and the effects of polarization on the dual-comb OODR spectra were also analyzed. This study provides a widely applicable technique for Doppler-free dual-comb spectroscopy of various gaseous species.

Dual-comb spectroscopy for rapid characterization of complex optical properties of solids.

We demonstrate rapid characterization of complex optical properties of solids via dual-comb spectroscopy (DCS) in the near-infrared region. The fine spectral structures in the complex refractive index of an Er:YAG are successfully deduced using the developed system and Fourier analysis. Moreover, simultaneous determination of the refractive index and the thickness is demonstrated for a silicon semiconductor wafer through the use of multireflected echo signals. The results indicate the potential of DCS as a powerful measurement tool for the rapid and full characterization of solid materials.

Highly stabilized optical frequency comb interferometer with a long fiber-based reference path towards arbitrary distance measurement.

An optical frequency comb interferometer with a 342-m-long fiber-based optical reference path was developed. The long fiber-based reference path was stabilized to 10(-12)-order stability by using a fiber noise cancellation technique, and small temperature changes on the millikelvin order were detected by measuring an interferometric phase signal. Pulse number differences of 30 and 61 between the measurement and reference paths were determined precisely, with slight tuning of the 53.4 MHz repetition frequency. Moreover, with pulse number difference of 61, a 6.4-m-wide scanning for the relative pulse position is possible only by 1 MHz repetition frequency tuning, which makes pulses overlapped for arbitrary distance. Such wide-range high-precision delay length scanning can be used to measure arbitrary distances by using a highly stabilized long fiber-based reference path.

Spectroscopy of 171Yb in an optical lattice based on laser linewidth transfer using a narrow linewidth frequency comb.

We propose a novel, high-performance, and practical laser source system for optical clocks. The laser linewidth of a fiber-based frequency comb is reduced by phase locking a comb mode to an ultrastable master laser at 1064 nm with a broad servo bandwidth. A slave laser at 578 nm is successively phase locked to a comb mode at 578 nm with a broad servo bandwidth without any pre-stabilization. Laser frequency characteristics such as spectral linewidth and frequency stability are transferred to the 578-nm slave laser from the 1064-nm master laser. Using the slave laser, we have succeeded in observing the clock transition of (171)Yb atoms confined in an optical lattice with a 20-Hz spectral linewidth.