Letter abstract
Nature Photonics 1, 577 - 580 (2007)
Published online: 1 October 2007 | doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.170
Subject Categories: Spectroscopy | Optoelectronic devices and components
Measuring optical frequencies in the 0–40 THz range with non-synchronized electro–optic sampling
P. Gaal1, M. B. Raschke1,2, K. Reimann1 & M. Woerner1
Abstract
Measurements using optical frequency combs1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 are now important in high-precision spectroscopy. However, measurement techniques described so far are either restricted to narrow frequency ranges or are difficult to implement in the far-infrared regime. Here we present a time-domain method for the direct measurement of optical frequencies in the mid- and far-infrared spectral region. The method is analogous to a sampling scope, with the electric field of the source measured by electro–optic sampling7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 using the light pulses from a femtosecond laser as a probe. The highest optical frequency that can be measured with our 'sampling scope' is determined by the pulse length of the femtosecond laser. When 12-fs probe pulses are used, a measurement of up to 40 THz, corresponding to a wavelength of 7.5 
m, is possible9.
- Max-Born-Institut für Nichtlineare Optik und Kurzzeitspektroskopie, 12489 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1700, USA
Correspondence to: K. Reimann1 e-mail: reimann@mbi-berlin.de
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Metrology Sampling without synchronizationNature Photonics News and Views (01 Oct 2007)
Laser physics Terahertz meets attoscienceNature Physics News and Views (01 May 2006)
See all 8 matches for News And ViewsRESEARCH
Coherent optical link over hundreds of metres and hundreds of terahertz with subfemtosecond timing jitterNature Photonics Letter (01 May 2007)
Terahertz transfer onto a telecom optical carrierNature Photonics Article (01 Jul 2007)
See all 59 matches for Research