Subpicometer wavelength accuracy with gain-switched laser diode in high-resolution optical spectrometry

Abstract

We present a method to generate an optical reference comb signal with subpicometer wavelength accuracy. XPM nonlinear effect in a fiber is used to get an optical frequency comb signal, free of frequency chirp and wavelength instabilities, from a pulsed gain-switched laser diode. Principles of such comb generation are presented as well as the application of this comb as a ruler to measure frequency differences in high resolution optical spectrum measurements. To confirm this method, Brillouin filtering optical spectrometric technique is used to characterize a modulated optical source. Typical resolution of this technique allows 0.08 pm wavelength accuracy.