title: Accuracy of optical frequency comb generators and optical frequency interval divider chains.
abstract: We compared two methods for measuring large optical frequency differences: an optical frequency comb generator, which creates a large number of sidebands from a single-mode laser through electro-optic modulation, and an optical frequency interval divider chain, which divides a frequency gap successively by two until it becomes accessible to a radio-frequency counter. By locking two diode lasers to two modulation sidebands of a comb generator, ~1 THz apart, and measuring this interval with a chain of four phase-locked interval dividers, we demonstrate for the first time to our knowledge the accuracy of both techniques within an experimental limit of 6.8 x 10(-15).
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Udem
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Reichert
authors: T W
authors: TW
authors: Hänsch
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Kourogi