Ultrashort-Pulse Optical Frequency Combs for Quantum Technologies and Sensing

光学频率梳是许多量子技术的关键：提供“时钟装置”，将极其精确的光学时钟稳定地链接到可以更容易利用的射频信息;并产生下一代多普勒激光雷达所需的超稳定微波频率。然而，今天的光频梳一般都很大，并且是基于实验室的，缺乏真正移动的的鲁棒性。这个为期4年的EngD项目将研究创新的新型光频梳，这些光频梳可以减小尺寸、重量和功耗，同时提高可靠性并提供极高的稳定性，这是下一代光学时钟和雷达应用所需的。该项目将设计、制造和测试基于锁模超短脉冲固态激光器的光频梳。该项目将利用斯特拉斯克莱德大学光子学研究所和弗劳恩霍夫应用光子学中心在二极管泵浦钛蓝宝石激光器方面的经验，并将这些系统进一步推向超稳定和超稳定的架构。该项目还将得到Caledonian Photonics Ltd的支持，Caledonian Photonics Ltd是一家与光频梳终端用户有着密切联系的初创公司，并在强大的固态激光器设计方面拥有丰富的经验。

Optical frequency combs are key to many Quantum Technologies: providing the 'clockwork' that stably links supremely accurate optical clocks to radio-frequency information that can be more readily exploited; and generating the ultra-stable microwave frequencies that will be required for next-generation Doppler LIDAR. However, today's optical frequency combs are generally large and lab-based, lacking the robustness to be truly mobile. This 4-year EngD project will investigate innovative new optical frequency combs that reduce size, weight and power consumption while increasing reliability and providing extremely high stability, as is required for application to next generation optical clocks and radar. The project will design, build and test optical frequency combs based upon modelocked ultrashort-pulse solid-state lasers. The project will take advantage of the Institute of Photonics at Strathclyde University and the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics' experience in diode-pumped Ti:Sapphire lasers, and push these systems further towards miniaturised and ultra-stable architectures. The project will also be supported by Caledonian Photonics Ltd, a startup company with strong links to end-users of optical frequency combs, and experience in robust solid-state laser design.