Frequency-comb-based absolute frequency measurements in the mid-infrared with a difference-frequency spectrometer.
We demonstrate the possibility of extending the well-established metrological performance of optical frequency-comb synthesizers to the mid-IR region by phase locking the pump and signal lasers of a difference-frequency source to two near-IR teeth of an optical comb. An uncertainty of 800 Hz (1.1 x 10(-11)) in the absolute frequencies of CO2 transitions near 4.2 microm has been measured by cavity-enhanced saturated-absorption spectroscopy. Prospects for the creation of a new dense set of high-quality molecular frequency standards in the IR are discussed.
Mazzotti
D
D
Istituto Nazionale di Ottica Applicata, Largo Fermi 6, 50125 Florence, Italy. mazzotti@inoa.it
Cancio
P
P
Giusfredi
G
G
De Natale
P
P
Prevedelli
M
M