Title: Fast, precise, and widely tunable frequency control of an optical parametric oscillator referenced to a frequency comb,
Abstract: Optical frequency combs (OFC) provide a convenient reference for the
frequency stabilization of continuous-wave lasers. We demonstrate a frequency
control method relying on tracking over a wide range and stabilizing the beat
note between the laser and the OFC. The approach combines fast frequency ramps
on a millisecond timescale in the entire mode-hop free tuning range of the
laser and precise stabilization to single frequencies. We apply it to a
commercially available optical parametric oscillator (OPO) and demonstrate
tuning over more than 60 GHz with a ramping speed up to 3 GHz/ms. Frequency
ramps spanning 15 GHz are performed in less than 10 ms, with the OPO instantly
relocked to the OFC after the ramp at any desired frequency. The developed
control hardware and software is able to stabilize the OPO to sub-MHz precision
and to perform sequences of fast frequency ramps automatically.