FRESCOS · FREquency comb SpectrosCOpy using Specialty optical fibers

Nonlinear fiber optics is paving the way for a new paradigm of technological developments, especially in the domain of modern communication, computation and metrology. Project FRESCOS (FREquency comb SpectrosCOpy with Specialty optical fibers) will utilize nonlinear optical effects in an interdisciplinary setting, harnessing the untapped potential of specially designed optical fibers for developing a simple-architecture all-fiber multi-comb spectroscopy setup. This innovative and breakthrough technology will be used to perfrom dual and tri-comb spectroscopy for precise and rapid chemical sensing as well as the study of transient nonlinear response of samples in the 1.5 micron wavelength, that are inaccessible to linear spectroscopic techniques. The required nonlinear specialty optical fibers, like tri-core fiber, tri-mode fiber, polarization maintaining fiber (with and without twisting) and dispersion compensating fiber will be designed and fabricated during the project in the fiber fabrication facility (FiberTech Lille) at the host institute. Project FRESCOS will capitalize on a unique blend of scientific disciplines starting from fiber fabrication, nonlinear optics, chemical physics, to spectroscopy, to achieve a milestone in the science of precision spectroscopy and generate results to deepen our understanding of the fundamental physics of energy levels in chemical molecules.