Generation of coherent Raman sidebands using a continuous-wave laser source

Abstract

When a laser beam is focused into molecular hydrogen, multifrequency laser emission with equal frequency spacing is generated by a phenomenon based on Raman scattering. These emission lines are automatically phase-locked to generate an ultrashort optical pulse. When a continuous-wave laser is focused into molecular hydrogen in a high-finesse cavity, a continuous-wave multifrequency laser emission with equal frequency spacing can be generated, leading to a train of pulses caused by coherent superposition of the emission lines. This laser has the potential to be used as a standard-frequency light source as well as in ultrafast optical communication.