1. Phase-locking to a free-space terahertz comb for metrological-grade terahertz lasers
- Author
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Luigi Consolino, Saverio Bartalini, Andrea Taschin, Alessandro Tredicucci, Paolo Bartolini, David A. Ritchie, Pablo Cancio, Miriam S. Vitiello, Renato Torre, P. De Natale, Harvey E. Beere, Consolino, L., Taschin, A., Bartolini, P., Bartalini, S., Cancio, P., Tredicucci, A., Beere, H. E., Ritchie, D. A., Torre, R., Vitiello, M. S., and De Natale, P.
- Subjects
Terahertz radiation ,Physics::Optics ,General Physics and Astronomy ,QUANTUM-CASCADE LASERS ,FREQUENCY COMB ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology ,law.invention ,Photomixing ,Frequency comb ,Optics ,law ,Physics::Atomic Physics ,Physics ,SPECTROSCOPY ,Multidisciplinary ,business.industry ,Far-infrared laser ,DIRECT LINK ,General Chemistry ,Free space ,SYNTHESIZER ,Laser ,Metrology ,Optoelectronics ,business ,Quantum cascade laser - Abstract
Optical frequency comb synthesizers have represented a revolutionary approach to frequency metrology, providing a grid of frequency references for any laser emitting within their spectral coverage. Extending the metrological features of optical frequency comb synthesizers to the terahertz domain would be a major breakthrough, due to the widespread range of accessible strategic applications and the availability of stable, high-power and widely tunable sources such as quantum cascade lasers. Here we demonstrate phase-locking of a 2.5 THz quantum cascade laser to a free-space comb, generated in a LiNbO3 waveguide and covering the 0.1-6 THz frequency range. We show that even a small fraction (< 100 nW) of the radiation emitted from the quantum cascade laser is sufficient to generate a beat note suitable for phase-locking to the comb, paving the way to novel metrological-grade terahertz applications, including high-resolution spectroscopy, manipulation of cold molecules, astronomy and telecommunications.
- Published
- 2012
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