Monolithically integrated absolute frequency comb laser system
| DWPI Title: Monolithically integrated absolute frequency comb source for e.g. astrophysics application, has mixing element generating sum of laser modes, where counter uses signals generated by mixer to lock absolute frequency of comb of laser lines |
| Abstract: Rather than down-convert optical frequencies, a QCL laser system directly generates a THz frequency comb in a compact monolithically integrated chip that can be locked to an absolute frequency without the need of a frequency-comb synthesizer. The monolithic, absolute frequency comb can provide a THz frequency reference and tool for high-resolution broad band spectroscopy. |
| Use: Monolithically integrated absolute frequency comb source for application e.g. astrophysics application, high-resolution molecular spectroscopy application and plasma diagnostic application. |
| Advantage: The source minimizes optical components, eliminates alignment and feedback issues and reduces size. The source allows optical fields inside the laser unit to be much stronger than fields that are emitted by the laser unit to improve generation of the mixed signals when the signals are generated by non-linear processes that improve in efficiency as power increases. The source integrates required broad gain, harmonic generator and frequency mixer elements onto a single small chip to expand potential application space for combs by reducing weight and complexity of existing combs in an efficient manner. The source allows the laser unit to be actively driven at frequency separation of the modes to ensure uniform mode separation, so that slower proportional-integral-derivative control is used simultaneously to lock absolute frequency. |
| Novelty: The source has a Fabry-Perot laser unit or emitting light at different equally spaced modes. An integrated mixing element generates sum, difference, and harmonic frequencies of the laser modes. A microwave frequency counter uses signals that are generated by a mixer to lock absolute frequency of a comb (17) of laser lines. The integrated mixing element comprises a Schottky diode (20), comprises non-linear current-voltage of the laser unit and comprises the non-linear current-voltage of a metal contact through which the laser current flows. |
| Filed: 9/21/2015 |
| Application Number: US14859706A |
| Tech ID: SD 12919.1 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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