Scientists at NIST have significantly expanded the frequency range of a miniature optical ruler device called a microcomb. This device, which uses a microring resonator frequency comb, can now generate and measure light waves across a much broader range of frequencies.
The expanded frequency range of the microcomb could lead to improved sensors for detecting greenhouse gases and enhanced global navigation systems. The technology has potential applications in building highly accurate optical clocks, calibrating detectors to analyze starlight, and detecting trace gases in the environment.
NIST researchers discovered that using two lasers instead of one could produce two new sets of evenly spaced frequencies, one in the infrared and the other close to visible light. This makes the system extremely versatile, potentially enabling a single microcomb to measure the characteristic vibrations of atoms and molecules, including pollutants, that both emit and absorb light over a broad range of frequencies.
The enhanced stability of the microcomb could spur the development of portable optical atomic clocks accurate enough to be employed outside the laboratory, leading to more accurate and precise navigation systems. This achievement represents a significant step forward in the development of quantum standards and related technical updates.
Keywords: Microcomb, Frequency Comb, Optical Ruler, Soliton, Quantum Standards
