Metrology-grade spectroscopy source based on an optical parametric oscillator

Abstract

Continuous-wave optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) are widely tunable and powerful sources of narrow-linewidth radiation. These properties make them suitable for a wide range of spectroscopic studies - but so far not at the metrological level. Indeed, although important technical OPO developments occurred more than two decades ago, and commercial devices have been available for nearly as long, the long-hoped-for the potential of these devices, providing simultaneously ultralow linewidth, ultrahigh frequency stability, ultrahigh frequency accuracy, and wide wavelength coverage has not yet become a reality. Here, we present an OPO metrology system suitable for optical spectroscopy with ultra-high resolution and accuracy in the 2.2 - 3.9 μm range. The system relies on the second-harmonic generation of the idler wave to bridge the gap to the near-infrared regime where frequency combs are readily available. By actively controlling the pump laser frequency, the idler radiation is phase-locked to an optically stabilized frequency comb, enabling a full transfer of the frequency comb’s spectral properties to the idler radiation and measuring the idler frequency with ultra-high precision. We reach fractional line widths and Allan deviations of the idler radiation at the level of 4 × 10−14 and 1 × 10−14, respectively. We also perform a thorough characterization of the stabilized OPO via a comparison with a second, independent optically stabilized frequency comb and thereby determine an overall idler frequency systematic uncertainty of less than 1.2 × 10−14. Sources of residual frequency noise are identified. The system delivered excellent results in high-accuracy spectroscopy.