The Deutsche Museum (German Technical Museum) in Munich exhibits a frequency comb, in which the Verdi from Coherent, a frequency-doubled diode-pumped solid-state laser, was integrated. Prof. Theodor W. Haensch used the Verdi as pump laser in his breadboard construction for the development of a frequency comb. In recognition for his work the Nobel Prize was awarded to Professor Haensch in 2005. Theodor W. Haensch and his American colleague John L. Hall share one half of the Nobel Prize in Physics "for their contributions to laser-based precision spectroscopy, including the optical frequency comb technique."
The experimental setup was realized using ultra-short pulses of a mode-locked femtosecond laser to build an optical frequency comb synthesizer, which made it possible, for the first time, to measure the number of light oscillations per second with extreme precision, and thereby measure and control the temporal evolution of a light field. To build this frequency comb synthesizer, Professor Haensch used a Verdi, which has the ideal single frequency and low-noise characteristics. Professor Haensch still uses the Verdi laser for his research, because this laser enables him to push the limits of optical frequency comb technology and its applications.
The experimental setup was realized using ultra-short pulses of a mode-locked femtosecond laser to build an optical frequency comb synthesizer, which made it possible, for the first time, to measure the number of light oscillations per second with extreme precision, and thereby measure and control the temporal evolution of a light field. To build this frequency comb synthesizer, Professor Haensch used a Verdi, which has the ideal single frequency and low-noise characteristics. Professor Haensch still uses the Verdi laser for his research, because this laser enables him to push the limits of optical frequency comb technology and its applications.
