NIST researchers have developed a tunable, super stable fiber-optic network that can synchronize light waves from different sources across a range of visible and near-infrared frequencies. The network, which spans three-quarters of a kilometer, demonstrates the first remote synchronization of light waves from two “frequency combs” – advanced laboratory tools for precisely measuring frequencies of light.
The network showcases record performance in a frequency comb produced from an erbium fiber laser, an alternative to the original frequency comb generated from a titanium-sapphire crystal. Fiber-based frequency combs have the potential to be more compact and less expensive, and they measure the lower, near-infrared frequencies of light that are used in telecommunications.
The network’s stability and low “jitter” mean the original signal character is always preserved, and it could be extended to 50 km or more without any loss in performance. The research was published in the May issue of Nature Photonics.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2007/05/tunable-network-features-coordinated-frequency-combs
Keywords: frequency combs, fiber-optic network, optical frequencies, laser stabilization, coherent optical link
