Continuous-wave frequency comb Fourier transform source based on a high-dispersion cavity

A dispersive grating compressor was included in a fiber ring laser to generate an unequally spaced frequency comb spanning approximately 1549-1552 nm. Beating of nearby modes in the comb naturally assigns unique amplitude modulation frequencies to each spectral component emitted. The source contains no moving parts. The single-mode fiber-coupled output is directed through hydrogen cyanide gas and detected by a photodiode. A Fourier transform of a 1 ms record yields a spectrum that agrees with results from a grating spectrometer at 0.06 nm resolution. By engineering stable, broadband combs, the technique could result in a universal and simple approach for spectroscopy at almost arbitrary measurement speeds and spectral resolutions limited only by Fourier principles.