Dual- and quad-FSF laser optical frequency comb application for time delay variation associated measurements.

Area of Science:

• Optoelectronics
• Laser Physics
• Optical Metrology

Background:

• Frequency-shifted feedback (FSF) lasers possess broadband emission without inherent modes.
• These lasers can achieve mode-locking, producing short optical pulses and frequency combs.
• Optical frequency combs have line spacing determined by the feedback loop's time delay.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the application of tunable dual- and quad-combs generated from FSF lasers.
• To utilize these combs for measurements involving time delay variations.
• To demonstrate applications in distance ranging and optical material characterization.

Main Methods:

• Generating tunable dual- and quad-combs using sequential frequency down-conversion.
• Seeding the FSF laser with optical amplifier spontaneous emission.
• Applying the generated combs to time delay variation measurements.

Main Results:

• Demonstration of tunable dual- and quad-comb generation from FSF lasers.
• Successful application of these combs for measurements sensitive to time delay variations.
• Potential for enhanced precision in distance ranging and refractive index measurements.

Conclusions:

• The proposed method effectively generates tunable optical frequency combs from FSF lasers.
• These combs are suitable for precise measurements of time delay variations.
• The technique offers a promising avenue for advanced optical metrology applications.