Method and apparatus for generation of coherent frequency combs
First Claim
1. An apparatus for generating a frequency comb, the apparatus comprising:
- an optical source that generates a laser output including one or more first optical waves each having a spectral linewidth, wherein the optical source comprises;
a light source operable to provide a third optical wave having a first center frequency and the spectral linewidth;
a modulator optically coupled to the light source, wherein the modulator is configured to receive the third optical wave and output;
a fourth optical wave having the first center frequency;
a fifth optical wave having a second center frequency that is greater than the first center frequency and separated from the first center frequency by a frequency spacing, anda sixth optical wave having a third center frequency that is less than the first center frequency and separated from the first center frequency by the frequency spacing;
an optical splitter optically coupled to the modulator, wherein the optical splitter is configured to spatially separate the fourth optical wave, the fifth optical wave, and the sixth optical wave;
a delay element optically coupled to the optical splitter, wherein the delay element is configured to introduce a physical delay to the fourth optical wave; and
an optical combiner optically coupled to the optical splitter and the delay element, wherein the optical combiner is configured to recombine the fourth optical wave, the fifth optical wave, and the sixth optical wave to generate the laser output; and
a nonlinear optical medium optically coupled to the optical source and receiving the laser output, wherein the nonlinear optical medium generates a frequency comb corresponding to a plurality of second optical waves, the plurality of second optical waves each having the spectral linewidth, wherein each of the plurality of second optical waves are frequency separated from adjacent second optical waves by a frequency spacing, and wherein the plurality of second optical waves includes;
a seventh optical wave having the first center frequency,an eighth optical wave having the second center frequency,a ninth optical wave having the third center frequency, anda tenth optical wave having a fourth center frequency, wherein the fourth center frequency is separated from the second center frequency or the third center frequency by the frequency spacing.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide apparatuses and methods for generating frequency combs. A non-linear optical medium may generate new optical waves centered at frequencies differing from the input waves, while retaining the input wave properties. In the case when a parametric mixer is used to generate frequency combs with small frequency pitch, the phase correlation of the input (seed) waves can be achieved by an electro-optical modulator and a single master laser. In the case when a frequency comb possessing a frequency pitch that is larger than frequency modulation that can be affected by an 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.
12 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for generating a frequency comb, the apparatus comprising:
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an optical source that generates a laser output including one or more first optical waves each having a spectral linewidth, wherein the optical source comprises; a light source operable to provide a third optical wave having a first center frequency and the spectral linewidth; a modulator optically coupled to the light source, wherein the modulator is configured to receive the third optical wave and output; a fourth optical wave having the first center frequency; a fifth optical wave having a second center frequency that is greater than the first center frequency and separated from the first center frequency by a frequency spacing, and a sixth optical wave having a third center frequency that is less than the first center frequency and separated from the first center frequency by the frequency spacing; an optical splitter optically coupled to the modulator, wherein the optical splitter is configured to spatially separate the fourth optical wave, the fifth optical wave, and the sixth optical wave; a delay element optically coupled to the optical splitter, wherein the delay element is configured to introduce a physical delay to the fourth optical wave; and an optical combiner optically coupled to the optical splitter and the delay element, wherein the optical combiner is configured to recombine the fourth optical wave, the fifth optical wave, and the sixth optical wave to generate the laser output; and a nonlinear optical medium optically coupled to the optical source and receiving the laser output, wherein the nonlinear optical medium generates a frequency comb corresponding to a plurality of second optical waves, the plurality of second optical waves each having the spectral linewidth, wherein each of the plurality of second optical waves are frequency separated from adjacent second optical waves by a frequency spacing, and wherein the plurality of second optical waves includes; a seventh optical wave having the first center frequency, an eighth optical wave having the second center frequency, a ninth optical wave having the third center frequency, and a tenth optical wave having a fourth center frequency, wherein the fourth center frequency is separated from the second center frequency or the third center frequency by the frequency spacing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of generating a frequency comb, the method comprising:
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providing an optical source for generating a laser output including one or more first optical waves each having a spectral linewidth, wherein the optical source comprises; a light source operable to provide a third optical wave having a first center frequency and the spectral linewidth; a modulator optically coupled to the light source, wherein the modulator is configured to receive the third optical wave and output; a fourth optical wave having the first center frequency; a fifth optical wave having a second center frequency that is greater than the first center frequency and separated from the first center frequency by a frequency spacing, and a sixth optical wave having a third center frequency that is less than the first center frequency and separated from the first center frequency by the frequency spacing; an optical splitter optically coupled to the modulator, wherein the optical splitter is configured to spatially separate the fourth optical wave, the fifth optical wave, and the sixth optical wave; a delay element optically coupled to the optical splitter, wherein the delay element is configured to introduce a physical delay to the fourth optical wave; and an optical combiner optically coupled to the optical splitter and the delay element, wherein the optical combiner is configured to recombine the fourth optical wave, the fifth optical wave, and the sixth optical wave to generate the laser output; providing a nonlinear optical medium optically coupled to the optical source, the nonlinear optical medium for generating a frequency comb corresponding to a plurality of second optical waves, the plurality of second optical waves each having the spectral linewidth, and wherein each of the plurality of second optical waves are frequency separated from adjacent second optical waves by a frequency spacing; generating the laser output including the one or more first optical waves having the spectral linewidth using the optical source; coupling the one or more first optical waves into the nonlinear optical medium; and transforming the one or more first optical waves via the nonlinear optical medium into the plurality of second optical waves each having the spectral linewidth and frequency separated from adjacent second optical waves by the frequency spacing, wherein the plurality of second optical waves includes; a seventh optical wave having the first center frequency, an eighth optical wave having the second center frequency, a ninth optical wave having the third center frequency, and a tenth optical wave having a fourth center frequency, wherein the fourth center frequency is separated from the second center frequency or the third center frequency by the frequency spacing. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification