Mar 26 2015
Dr. Steve Lecomte and his team at the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnique (CSEM) in Switzerland achieved record low relative intensity noise frequency comb and carrier-envelope offset frequency stabilization using the Onefive femtosecond laser Origami - 10.
The ultra-stable performance of the free-running Origami oscillator was one of the key factors for the stabilization of the Carrier-Envelope-Offset frequency (fCEO) to a record value of 60 dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). The results of this work have been published in the Electronics Letter journal and further confirm the outstanding features and performance of the Origami femtosecond laser technology.
As reported in the featured article, the femtosecond laser is the heart of the frequency comb technology, and its choice is crucial for the performance and reliability of the whole system. Dr. Lecomte, Head of the Time and Frequency Section at CSEM, chose the Origami laser because of its industrial grade reliability, its high stability and its very low noise level. The laser does not require any adjustment or maintenance, is very compact, and is the base for the development of an industrial-grade frequency comb which satisfies the demands of the real-world use.
This new Origami-based frequency comb performs 2-3 orders of magnitude better than commercial laser systems with similar pulse duration and repetition rate. It also showed to perform an order of magnitude better than typical systems based on Ti:Sapphire lasers, which had been used so far to achieve the most stable frequency combs. The innovative features of the Origami laser reveal a very compact oscillator and offering a cost-effective design.
Furthermore, the ultra-stable free-running performance of the laser significantly reduces the complexity of the phase-locked loop stabilization electronics. The Origami femtosecond laser can be also used as a stand-alone ultra-stable source, and represents a cost-effective, compact and simple alternative to a frequency-comb system for all applications where medium-term stability is required. As shown in the mentioned article, the Origami laser is also an ideal source for coherent supercontinuum generation.