Retrieval of phase relation and emission profile of quantum cascade laser frequency combs

Year: 2019

Authors: Cappelli F., Consolino L., Campo G., Galli I., Mazzotti D., Campa A., Siciliani de Cumis M., Cancio Pastor P., Eramo R., Rösch M., Beck M., Scalari G., Faist J., De Natale P., Bartalini S.

Autors Affiliation: CNR, INO, Florence, Italy; LENS European Lab Nonlinear Spect, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; ppqSense Srl, Campi Bisenzio, Italy; ASI, Contrada Terlecchia, Matera, Italy; Swiss Fed Inst Technol, Inst Quantum Elect, Zurich, Switzerland.

Abstract: Recently, the field of optical frequency combs experienced a major development of new sources. They are generally much smaller in size (on the scale of millimetres) and can extend frequency comb emission to other spectral regions, in particular towards the mid- and far-infrared regions. Unlike classical pulsed frequency combs, their mode-locking mechanism relies on four-wave-mixing nonlinear processes, yielding a non-trivial phase relation among the modes and an uncommon emission time profile. Here, by combining dual-comb multi-heterodyne detection with Fourier-transform analysis, we show how to simultaneously acquire and monitor over a wide range of timescales the phase pattern of a generic (unknown) frequency comb. The technique is applied to characterize both a mid-infrared and a terahertz quantum cascade laser frequency comb, conclusively proving the high degree of coherence and the remarkable long-term stability of these sources. Moreover, the technique allows also the reconstruction of the electric field, intensity profile and instantaneous frequency of the emission.

Journal/Review: NATURE PHOTONICS

Volume: 13 (8)      Pages from: 562  to: 568

More Information: The authors acknowledge financial support from the Ministero dell?Istruzione, dell?Universita e della Ricerca (project PRIN-2015KEZNYM NEMO), the European Union?s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Laserlab-Europe Project, grant no. 654148; CHIC Project, ERC grant no. 724344; ULTRAQCL Project, FET Open grant no 665158; Qombs Project, FET Flagship on Quantum Technologies grant no. 820419), the Italian ESFRI Roadmap (?Extreme Light Infrastructure?-ELI Project) and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF200020-165639).
KeyWords: optical frequency comb, quantum cascade laser, pulses, coherence, precision
DOI: 10.1038/s41566-019-0451-1

Citations: 74
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