Patent ID: 9653868
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: G02F,H01S

Claim:
1. A frequency comb source comprising: a mode-locked fiber oscillator comprising optical fiber disposed in an optical cavity; a non-linear optical element disposed to receive pulsed output from said mode-locked fiber oscillator and to generate a supercontinuum comprising a first train of optical pulses having a first set of frequency components; an interferometer disposed to receive said first train of optical pulses, said interferometer comprising a frequency converter comprising a nonlinear waveguide and configured to generate a second train of optical pulses having a second set of frequency components that are shifted in frequency with respect to the first set of frequency components, said second train of optical pulses temporally overlapping said first set of optical pulses, said interferometer configured to interfere at least a portion of said first train and said second train of optical pulses to generate an optical interference signal comprising beat frequencies; and an optical detector configured to detect said optical interference signal and output said beat frequencies.