Frequency Comb

Phase-locked grid of laser lines bridging microwave and optical frequencies — the gearwork that makes optical atomic clocks countable.

Specifications & Metrics

An equally spaced comb of laser lines allows a direct link from radio-frequency standards to optical frequencies.
It brings the accuracy of microwave atomic-clock standards into the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum, enabling optical clocks.
Its development around the turn of the 21st century earned John L. Hall and Theodor W. Hänsch a shared half of the 2005 Nobel Prize in Physics.