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An invaluable metrology tool: The taccor comb

10 Nov 2016

Optical frequency combs, based on femtosecond lasers, are invaluable tools for optical metrology and spectroscopy due to their unique ability to phase-coherently link microwave and optical frequency domains. The taccor comb, 1 GHz repetition rate laser, provides a unique combination of large mode-spacing and high-power coherent super-continuum generation and is a complete frequency comb solution.

Laser Quantum’s 1 GHz femtosecond lasers are widely used in frequency metrology in many National Laboratories and other research groups around the world. The taccor comb, an extension to the successful 1 GHz laser series, uses a high repetition rate Ti:Sapphire mode locked laser for comb generation, enabling generation of significantly higher supercontinuum average powers, and hence an enhanced SNR for heterodyne beat measurements or direct frequency comb spectroscopy applications.

Laser Quantum’s taccor comb has enabled optical frequency measurements at the 10-19 accuracy level, with stability at the 10-17 level in 1 s of averaging time and mode linewidths below 1 Hz. These lasers are capable of supporting the worlds most accurate and stable optical atomic clocks as optical clockwork, and eliminates the comb’s accuracy as the limiting factor in the most demanding optical frequency measurements. The taccor comb is a complete frequency comb solution. It consists of a hermetically sealed laser with a repetition rate of 1 GHz, a matched dispersion compensation module, super-continuum generation and a nonlinear f-to-2f interferometer. The taccor comb provides a long-term stable RF signal at the carrier envelope offset frequency with more than 40 dB signal-to-noise ratio in 100 kHz bandwidth ready to be counted, stabilised or otherwise used in an application. It provides the ideal solution for customers who seek to have a comb source with easy access to the visible and NIR spectral range at a high mode power level.

There are three compelling reasons for the success of the taccor comb:

  • The large comb spacing of 1 GHz allows easy determination of the comb mode index.
  • The achievable power per frequency comb tooth at 1 GHz is approximately 100 times higher than with a conventional 100 MHz laser.
  • Laser Quantum’s GHz comb offers a remarkably small footprint.

The comb extension can be used in conjunction with the taccor power or taccor ultra, offering up to 1 W of useable 800 nm after the CEO frequency measurement. When combined with the taccor ultra 8 or 10, the system delivers up to 800 mW of output power with 15 fs pulse duration.

To find out more about the taccor comb and research, please download our whitepaper.

CONTACT DETAILS
Laser Quantum
Emery Court
Vale Road
Stockport
Cheshire
SK4 3GL
United Kingdom
Tel: +441619755300
Fax: +441619755309
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