Whispering-gallery-mode barcode-based broadband sub-femtometer-resolution spectroscopy with an electro-optic frequency comb

Spectroscopy is the basic tool for studying molecular physics and realizing biochemical sensing.However,it is challenging to realize sub-femtometer resolution spectroscopy over broad bandwidth.Broadband and high-resolution spectroscopy with calibrated optical frequency is demonstrated by bridging the fields of speckle pattern and electro-optic frequency comb.A wavemeter based on a whispering-gallery-mode barcode is proposed to link the frequencies of a probe continuous-wave laser and an ultrastable laser.The ultrafine electro-optic comb lines are generated from the probe laser to record spectrum of sample with sub-femtometer resolution.Measurement bandwidth is a thousandfold broader than comb bandwidth,by sequentially tuning the probe laser while its wavelength is determined.This approach fully exploits the advantages of two fields to realize 0.8-fm resolution with a fiber laser and 80-nm bandwidth with an external cavity diode laser.The spectroscopic measurements of an ultrahigh Q-factor cavity and gas molecular absorption are experimentally demonstrated.The compact system,predominantly constituted by few-gigahertz electronics and telecommunication components,shows enormous potential for practical spectroscopic applications.