High Repetition Rate Photonic Frequency Combs and Applications

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Objective The objective is to investigate novel electro-optics and nonlinear optics approaches for generation of optical frequency combs and explore new applications of such novel light sources.Intellectual MeritCombining optical frequency combs, a technology that has revolutionized frequency metrology, with pulse shaping techniques provides new capability for precision synthesis of user-specified coherent ultrashort pulsed fields, termed optical arbitrary waveform generation (OAWG). However, OAWG technologies and applications are best suited to optical frequency combs operating at repetition rates significantly higher than those conveniently provided by current sources. Therefore, a new research program is proposed focusing first on novel photonics approaches for high repetition rate frequency comb generation and second on potentially transformative new applications thereby enabled. Generation approaches include novel combinationss of electro-optic phase modulation and nonlinear fiber optics with application to combs at tens of GHz rates; and nonlinear wave mixing in waveguide microresonators, with an emphasis on precise waveform generation at even higher repetition rates (hundreds of GHz). Investigation of high resolution, standoff optical imaging based on approaches inspired by synthetic aperture radar, enabled by comb-based techniques for measurement of broadband optical phase over optical fibers, is also proposed. Broader Impact This project should provide rich opportunities for broad student training in areas of cutting-edge technology within the atmosphere of a leading research group. Two Ph.D. students are included in the proposal budget. Graduate student training will be enriched through the opportunity to collaborate with researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Undergraduate students will also participate in this research. During the course of this project, Prof. Weiner also intends to leverage his recent textbook publication by placing his graduate level course on Ultrafast Optics on-line via Nanohub.org.