Reconfigurable Terahertz Multi-Harmonic Dual-Combs

Dual-comb spectroscopy, constructed from two frequency combs with slightly different repetition frequencies, enables real-time and high-precision measurements without mechanical scanning. In the terahertz (THz) spectral range, dual-comb techniques provide a powerful tool for high-resolution and rapid spectroscopy. Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs), owing to their compact footprint and favorable size, weight, and power (SWaP), have emerged as promising sources for THz dual-comb systems. In QCL frequency combs, the repetition frequency generated through intrinsic four-wave mixing is typically equal to the cavity round-trip frequency, corresponding to the fundamental comb. Although this repetition frequency can be tuned via current and temperature control, the accessible tuning range remains limited. Recently, harmonic frequency combs, whose repetition frequencies are integer multiples of the cavity round-trip frequency, have attracted increasing attention, offering enhanced single-line signal-to-noise ratios and providing direct insight into the strong nonlinearity of QCLs. Here, we demonstrate a reconfigurable multi-harmonic dual-comb system realized on a single self-detected THz QCL platform. By precisely controlling the driving current and thermal conditions, we achieve and switch between multiple dual-comb configurations, including fundamental-fundamental, fundamental-second-harmonic, second-harmonic-second-harmonic, and second-harmonic-third-harmonic dual-combs. These results establish harmonic order as an additional degree of freedom for dual-comb operation within a single laser system. The demonstrated platform enables high-resolution and high-sensitivity measurements while significantly simplifying the system architecture. More importantly, it reveals the pronounced intrinsic nonlinearity of THz QCLs, allowing dual-comb generation even with weak spectral overlap. This reconfigurable multi-band dual-comb approach based on a single QCL opens new opportunities for compact THz spectroscopy and frequency metrology.