Octave-spanning 10-GHz Er-doped solid-state optical frequency comb

TL;DR

This paper presents a compact, high-repetition-rate Er-doped solid-state optical frequency comb with broad spectral coverage, low noise, and full stabilization, suitable for practical applications in communications and timing.

Contribution

It introduces a 10-GHz Er-doped solid-state frequency comb with full stabilization and broad spectrum, surpassing previous solid-state combs in power and noise performance.

Findings

Operates at 10-GHz repetition rate

Spectral coverage from 1150 nm to 2350 nm

Exhibits low intensity and phase noise

Abstract

Optical frequency combs provide a phase-coherent interface between optical and microwave domains, underpinning advances in precision metrology, spectroscopy, and time-frequency transfer. Most conventional comb architectures are limited to sub-gigahertz repetition rates, constraining integration and scalability. Here, we demonstrate a compact, 10-GHz Er-doped solid-state frequency comb operating near the 1550 nm telecommunications window. The system, assembled entirely from commercially available components, produces a coherent spectrum spanning from 1150 nm to 2350 nm with exceptionally low intensity and phase noise. Full frequency stabilization of both pulse repetition and carrier envelope offset frequencies is demonstrated with respect to an RF reference. Comprehensive characterization reveals performance exceeding that of previously reported solid-state combs in power-per-mode and noise suppression. These results establish a robust and accessible platform for multi-gigahertz-repetition-rate comb synthesis, bridging laboratory-grade performance with practical deployment in optical communication, precision timing, and astronomical instrumentation.