$\chi^{(2)}$ mid-infrared frequency comb generation and stabilization with few-cycle pulses
Abstract
Mid-infrared laser frequency combs are compelling sources for precise and sensitive metrology with applications in molecular spectroscopy and spectro-imaging. The infrared atmospheric window between 3-5.5 m in particular provides vital information regarding molecular composition. Using a robust, fiber-optic source of few-cycle pulses in the near-infrared, we experimentally demonstrate ultra-broad bandwidth nonlinear phenomena including harmonic and difference frequency generation in a single pass through periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN). These nonlinear optical processes result in the generation of frequency combs across the mid-infrared atmospheric window which we employ for dual-comb spectroscopy of acetone and carbonyl sulfide with resolution as high as 0.003 cm. Moreover, cascaded nonlinearities in the same PPLN directly provide the carrier-envelope offset frequency of the near-infrared driving pulse train in a compact geometry.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1811.02604,
title = {$\chi^{(2)}$ mid-infrared frequency comb generation and stabilization with few-cycle pulses},
author = {Alexander J. Lind and Abijith Kowligy and Henry Timmers and Flavio C. Cruz and Nima Nader and Myles C. Silfies and Thomas K. Allison and Scott A. Diddams},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1811.02604},
year = {2020}
}