A broadband optical frequency comb generator with parametric gain

Summary form only given. An optical frequency comb generator (OFCG) provides an array (comb) of equally-spaced spectral lines about a carrier frequency f/sub o/. The comb is formed by placing an electro-optic modulator (EOM) inside a resonant cavity, such that the modulation frequency, f/sub m/, is equal to the cavity mode spacing, or an integer multiple thereof. When operated with known values of f/sub o/ and f/sub m/, the OFCG is a valuable precision link between unknown optical frequencies and known standards separated by many terahertz. The attainable bandwidth of an OFCG is typically limited to a few terahertz by finite modulation index of the EOM, finite cavity finesse, and the cavity dispersion. We propose a new implementation of an OFCG with parametric gain that should provide means to overcome these obstacles to broadband optical frequency control and measurement.