A fine tooth comb

An optical frequency comb that has record low laser relative intensity noise and in which the carrier envelope offset frequency has been stabilised to very low level, has been demonstrated by researchers at Centre Suisse d´Electronique et de Microtechnique (CSEM) in Switzerland. This system, which is simple, stable and based on commercial components, already satisfi es many of the demands for real-world use, and could increase the performance and range of applications, including ultra-precise distance measurements, and rapid, highresolution molecular spectroscopy.