Enabling features of the proposed technology include an all-fiber footprint with fast, reconfigurable capability for arbitrary frequency grid synthesis in both the near and mid-IR spectral regions. Potential commercial applications include gas sensing, precision spectroscopy, frequency metrology, monitoring and optimization of combustion processes, multi-channel source for fiber and free space communication systems, medical diagnostics such as spectroscopy-based disease diagnosis and optical coherence tomography. Integrated waveguide components play a key role in many NASA systems. Multi-element components such as quasi-phase matching and phase modulation are efficient approaches for laser doubling and would be suitable for iodine locking (ACE) and O2 detection (ASCENDS). Additionally, the Parametric Gain block itself can be used to generate 3-5μm communications signals derived from 1550nm communications signals through parametric amplification, which would be beneficial to Free-Space Optical Communications at the Optical Communications Group at JPL. Finally, the compact programmable optical comb would be useful for advanced remote technology for precision spectroscopy and remote sensing of trace gas.
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