Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026
09:43
Transmission of Multiple Signals through an Optical Fiber Using Wavefront Shaping
Published on: March 20, 2017
Optical-frequency transfer over a single-span 1840 km fiber link
1Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, Hans-Kopfermann-Strasse 1, 85748 Garching, Germany.
Physical Review Letters
|October 1, 2013
Summary
Highly stable optical signals were transferred over 1840 km using an underground fiber link. This demonstrates a new method for precise frequency transfer critical for advanced optical frequency standards.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Metrology
- Optical Engineering
Background:
- Advancements in optical frequency standards necessitate precise long-distance signal transfer.
- Existing methods face challenges in maintaining signal stability over continental scales.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the feasibility of optical-frequency transfer over a 1840-km underground fiber link.
- To evaluate the stability and accuracy of the transferred optical signal.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a single-span stabilization technique for optical-frequency transfer.
- Employed an 1840-km underground optical fiber link to minimize environmental noise.
- Measured frequency instabilities using the modified Allan deviation.
Main Results:
- Achieved short-term instabilities of 2×10(-15) at 1 s gate time, improving to 4×10(-19) at 100 s.
- Found no systematic frequency offset within a statistical uncertainty of 3×10(-19).
- Observed a τ(-2) slope in modified Allan deviation, consistent with theoretical predictions for fiber link noise.
Conclusions:
- The demonstrated method enables highly stable optical-frequency transfer over continental distances.
- Underground fiber links offer a low-noise environment suitable for precise metrology.
- This technique supports the development and comparison of next-generation optical frequency standards.
