Abstract

Accurate wavelength standards are important for many of the proposed optical communication schemes involving wavelength division multiplexing or coherent detection, The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) program for wavelength standards in the 1.3 pm and 1.5 pm regions consists of developing moderate-accuracy standards (0.01-nm accuracy) and high-accuracy standards (better than 1-MHz accuracy). The moderate-accuracy standards are simple, portable devices which can be used to calibrate optical spectrum analyzers and tunable diode lasers. The high-accuracy standards will remain at NIST and will be used to calibrate transfer standards. For the high-accuracy work, I have developed a wavelength standard scheme in which a 1.5 pm fiber laser is stabilized to narrow resonances in laser-cooled rubidium.

© 1994 Optical Society of America