Simple approach for extending the ambiguity-free range of dual-comb ranging

Dual-comb (DC) ranging is an established method for high-precision and high-accuracy distance measurements. It is, however, restricted by an inherent length ambiguity and the requirement for complex control loops for comb stabilization. Here, we present a simple approach for expanding the ambiguity-free measurement length of DC ranging by exploiting the intrinsic intensity modulation of a single cavity dual-color DC for simultaneous time-of-flight and DC distance measurements. This measurement approach enables the measurement of distances up to several hundred kilometers with the precision and accuracy of a DC interferometric setup while providing a high data acquisition rate (approximate to 2 kHz) and requiring only the repetition rate of one of the combs to be stabilized. Published by The Optical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Automated summary

By utilizing the intrinsic intensity modulation of a single cavity dual-color dual-comb, the ambiguity-free measurement length of DC ranging can be expanded, enabling high-precision and high-accuracy distance measurements with a high data acquisition rate.