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| Physics World |
Physicists in the US have created an optical frequency comb that operates in the extreme ultraviolet (XUV). Touted as the first practical comb to work in this region of the spectrum, the device could be used to look for tiny variations in the fine-structure constant and other physical constants that could point to new physics. An XUV comb could also be used to create better atomic clocks and new techniques for atomic spectroscopy.
Frequency combs are created with an ultrafast mode-locked laser, in which pulses of light bounce back and forth in an optical cavity. The frequency spectrum of the resulting train of pulses from such a laser is a series of very sharp peaks that are evenly spaced in frequency, like the teeth on a comb.
Frequency combs are created with an ultrafast mode-locked laser, in which pulses of light bounce back and forth in an optical cavity. The frequency spectrum of the resulting train of pulses from such a laser is a series of very sharp peaks that are evenly spaced in frequency, like the teeth on a comb.
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| Science Prep |
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