Method and apparatus for generation of coherent frequency combs
First Claim
1. An apparatus for generating a frequency comb, the apparatus comprising:
- a source operable to provide a first optical wave;
a modulator, wherein;
the modulator is optically coupled with the source;
the modulator is configured to receive the first optical wave; and
the modulator is configured to output at least two second optical waves, wherein the at least two second optical waves are characterized by respective first center frequencies separated from each other by a first frequency spacing;
a nonlinear medium optically coupled with the modulator, wherein;
the nonlinear medium is configured to receive the at least two second optical waves;
the nonlinear medium is configured to output at least two third optical waves having second center frequencies; and
the second center frequencies are separated from each other by the first frequency spacing; and
a filter, wherein;
the filter is an optical filter; and
the filter is placed in an optical path between the modulator and the nonlinear medium.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide apparatuses and methods for phase correlated seeding of parametric mixer and for generating coherent frequency combs. The parametric mixer may use two phase-correlated optical waves with different carrier frequencies to generate new optical waves centered at frequencies differing from the input waves, while retaining the input wave coherent properties. In the case when parametric mixer is used to generate frequency combs with small frequency pitch, the phase correlation of the input (seed) waves can be achieved by electro-optical modulator and a single master laser. In the case when frequency comb possessing a frequency pitch that is larger than frequency modulation that can be affected by electro-optic modulator, the phase correlation of the input (seed) waves is achieved by combined use of an electro-optical modulator and injection locking to a single or multiple slave lasers.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for generating a frequency comb, the apparatus comprising:
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a source operable to provide a first optical wave; a modulator, wherein; the modulator is optically coupled with the source; the modulator is configured to receive the first optical wave; and the modulator is configured to output at least two second optical waves, wherein the at least two second optical waves are characterized by respective first center frequencies separated from each other by a first frequency spacing; a nonlinear medium optically coupled with the modulator, wherein; the nonlinear medium is configured to receive the at least two second optical waves; the nonlinear medium is configured to output at least two third optical waves having second center frequencies; and the second center frequencies are separated from each other by the first frequency spacing; and a filter, wherein; the filter is an optical filter; and the filter is placed in an optical path between the modulator and the nonlinear medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for generating a frequency comb, the apparatus comprising:
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a source operable to provide a first optical wave; a modulator, wherein; the modulator is optically coupled with the source; the modulator is configured to receive the first optical wave; and the modulator is configured to output a second optical wave and a third optical wave; a nonlinear medium optically coupled with the modulator, wherein; the nonlinear medium is configured to receive the second optical wave and the third optical wave; the nonlinear medium is configured to output a fourth optical wave having a first center frequency and a fifth optical wave having a second center frequency; and the first center frequency is separated from the second center frequency by a frequency spacing; and a filter, wherein; the filter is an optical filter; and the filter is placed in an optical path between the modulator and the nonlinear medium. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for generating a frequency comb, the method comprising:
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providing an source operable to provide a first optical wave; optically coupling a modulator with the source, wherein; the modulator is configured to receive the first optical wave; and the modulator is configured to output a second optical wave and a third optical wave; optically coupling a nonlinear medium with the modulator, wherein; the nonlinear medium is configured to receive the second optical wave and the third optical wave; the nonlinear medium is configured to output a fourth optical wave having a first center frequency and a fifth optical wave having a second center frequency; and the first center frequency is separated from the second center frequency by a frequency spacing; and optically coupling a filter in an optical path between the modulator and the nonlinear medium, wherein the filter is an optical filter.
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Specification