Characterizing a Cavity With a Frequency Comb

Posted on 2006-07-01 as part of the Photonics Spotlight (available as e-mail newsletter!)

Permanent link: https://www.rp-photonics.com/spotlight_2006_07_01b.html

Author: Dr. Rüdiger Paschotta, RP Photonics AG

Abstract: Chromatic dispersion in a cavity as well as the cavity finesse can be precisely measured over a large spectral range with a frequency comb source.

Ref.: A. Schliesser, C. Gohle, T. Udem, and T. W. Hänsch, "Complete characterization of a broadband high-finesse cavity using an optical frequency comb"

The research group of the Nobel Prize winner Theodor W. Hänsch has demonstrated another nice application of CEO-stabilized frequency combs. They can measure the chromatic dispersion of the elements of a high-finesse cavity with very high precision essentially by monitoring the wavelength-dependent transmission of a frequency comb through the cavity. The effect of cavity length drifts is eliminated by locking one particular cavity resonance to a comb line. The method allows them to measure the group delay dispersion of optical components over significant wavelength ranges (well above 100 nm) with r.m.s. errors of only a few fs².

This article is a posting of the Photonics Spotlight, authored by Dr. Rüdiger Paschotta. You may link to this page and cite it, because its location is permanent. See also the RP Photonics Encyclopedia.

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