title: Frequency-comb-referenced mid-infrared source for high-precision spectroscopy.
abstract: We report on a tunable continuous-wave mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator (OPO), which is locked to a fully stabilized near-infrared optical frequency comb using a frequency doubling scheme. The OPO is used for 40 GHz mode-hop-free, frequency-comb-locked scans in the wavelength region between 2.7 and 3.4 μm. We demonstrate the applicability of the method to high-precision cavity-ring-down spectroscopy of nitrous oxide (N2O) and water (H2O) at 2.85 µm and of methane (CH4) at 3.2 μm.
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peltola
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vainio
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fordell
authors.forename: Tuomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hieta
authors.forename: Mikko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Merimaa
authors.forename: Lauri
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Halonen
mesh_terms: D000669:Amplifiers, Electronic / Q000592:standards; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D055096:Optical Devices; D009991:Oscillometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D012016:Reference Values; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards