Comb-locked cavity ring-down spectroscopy for molecular transition frequency measurements below 10−12 relative uncertainty

Reed, Zachary

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/107583 Copy

Description

Title

Comb-locked cavity ring-down spectroscopy for molecular transition frequency measurements below 10−12 relative uncertainty

Author(s)

Reed, Zachary

Contributor(s)

• Hodges, Joseph T.
• Fleurbaey, Helene
• Long, David A.

Issue Date

2020-06-23

Keyword(s)

Mini-symposium: Precision Spectroscopy for Fundamental Physics

Abstract

The accurate determination of molecular transition frequencies can provide stringent tests and constraints on fundamental physics questions [1-3]. Here, we present recent work on a comb-locked cavity ring-down spectroscopy system which probes Doppler-broadened spectra in the linear absorption regime. These measurements have relative uncertainties in transition frequency below 10$^{-12}$, which are among the lowest values reported for optical molecular transition frequencies. We use a probe laser which is phase-locked to a commercial optical frequency comb and subsequently coupled to a high-finesse optical cavity based on that of [4]. We observe stationary measurement statistics for measurements of more than 2000 spectra and find that measurements which are replicated in multiple experiments over several months are normally distributed. Single-spectrum signal-to-noise-ratios can exceed 50,000:1, with resulting line center uncertainties below 5 kHz. Because this method is based on linear absorption, it is an attractive alternative for the measurement of molecular transitions that cannot be probed by saturation-based Doppler-free spectroscopy. Furthermore, we demonstrate results having smaller systematic errors than those provided by more complicated nonlinear spectroscopy methods. Finally, we report measurements for 44 $^{12}$C$^{16}$O$_{2}$ transition frequencies near 1.6 $\mu$m, obtaining combined uncertainties from approximately 200 Hz to 1 kHz. These results, which are included in a global fit yielding upper-state spectroscopic constants with reduced uncertainties, are expected to benefit spectroscopic retrieval algorithms for space-based measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide[5]. [1] F. M. J. Cozijn et. al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 120, 153002 (2018). [2] H. Fleurbaey et. al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 120, 183001 (2018). [3] J. Baron et. al. Science 343, 269-272 (2014). [4] H. Lin et. al. J. Quant. Spectros. and Rad. Trans. 161, 11-20 (2015) [5] S. R. Kawa et. al. Tellus B: Chemical and Physical Meteorology 62, 759-769 (2010)

Publisher

International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy

Type of Resource

Text

Language

eng

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/107583

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Copyright 2020 is held by the Author(s)

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