Endless frequency shifting of optical frequency comb lines

The functional principle of a novel technique for frequency shifting lines of an optical frequency comb is demonstrated. The underlying principle is to shift the carrier frequency by changing the carrier phase within the time span between subsequent pulses of a mode-locked laser used as comb generator. This universal frequency shifter does not require intrusion into the comb generator and provides high agility for arbitrary temporal frequency evolutions. (c) 2013 Optical Society of America