Demonstration of a near-IR line-referenced electro-optical laser frequency comb for precision radial velocity measurements in astronomy

X. Yi, K. Vahala (), J. Li, S. Diddams, G. Ycas, P. Plavchan, S. Leifer, J. Sandhu, G. Vasisht, P. Chen, P. Gao, J. Gagne, E. Furlan, M. Bottom, E. C. Martin, M. P. Fitzgerald, G. Doppmann and C. Beichman ()
Additional contact information
X. Yi: Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science
K. Vahala: Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science
J. Li: Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science
S. Diddams: National Institute of Standards and Technology
G. Ycas: National Institute of Standards and Technology
P. Plavchan: Missouri State University
S. Leifer: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
J. Sandhu: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
G. Vasisht: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
P. Chen: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
P. Gao: California Institute of Technology
J. Gagne: Carnegie Institution of Washington
E. Furlan: NASA Exoplanet Science Institute, California Institute of Technology
M. Bottom: California Institute of Technology
E. C. Martin: University of California Los Angeles
M. P. Fitzgerald: University of California Los Angeles
G. Doppmann: W.M. Keck Observatory
C. Beichman: NASA Exoplanet Science Institute, California Institute of Technology

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract An important technique for discovering and characterizing planets beyond our solar system relies upon measurement of weak Doppler shifts in the spectra of host stars induced by the influence of orbiting planets. A recent advance has been the introduction of optical frequency combs as frequency references. Frequency combs produce a series of equally spaced reference frequencies and they offer extreme accuracy and spectral grasp that can potentially revolutionize exoplanet detection. Here we demonstrate a laser frequency comb using an alternate comb generation method based on electro-optical modulation, with the comb centre wavelength stabilized to a molecular or atomic reference. In contrast to mode-locked combs, the line spacing is readily resolvable using typical astronomical grating spectrographs. Built using commercial off-the-shelf components, the instrument is relatively simple and reliable. Proof of concept experiments operated at near-infrared wavelengths were carried out at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility and the Keck-II telescope.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10436

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