Liens ultra-stables par fibres optiques : déploiement vers plusieurs utilisateurs distants, étude des limites fondamentales et technologiques et nouvelles applications

Optical frequency links give the possibility to disseminate an ultra-stable frequency reference to many research laboratories for precise measurements as performed in frequency metrology and in applied and fundamental physics. We demonstrated first a simple branching network setup dropping an ultra-stable signal at different positions along an urban optical link of 92 km, that exhibits a relative frequency stability of 1.3x10−15 at 1-s integration time, limited by long-term diurnal thermal effects. We developed and tested an improved setup with a compact and thermalized optical interferometer and a laser diode used to feed a secondary link, which fiber noise is compensated. These two setup open the way to multiple-users dissemination in Paris area and on the REFIMEVE+ network. Second we demonstrated optical frequency comparison using a two-way method. We tested the sensitivity of this comparison over a 100 km telecommunication fiber loop network using either unidirectional or bidirectional propagation, with an excellent frequency stability thanks to the very good rejection of the fiber noise. These results open the way to high-resolution frequency comparison of the best optical clocks over national or international fiber networks.Les liens optiques permettent de disséminer une fréquence de référence ultrastable à de nombreux laboratoires de recherche pour des mesures de très haute précision en métrologie et au-delà. Nous avons démontré premièrement une extraction simple d’un signal ultrastable en différents points d’une liaison optique urbaine de 92 km, avec une stabilité de fréquence relative à 1 s de 1,3x10−15 et sensiblement dégradée sur le long terme par les effets thermiques diurnes. Nous avons développé et testé un deuxième dispositif amélioré avec un montage interférométrique compact et activement thermalisé et une diode laser permettant de disséminer le signal vers un lien secondaire dont le bruit est activement compensé. Ces deuxdispositifs permettront de disséminer le signal à de multiples utilisateurs en région parisienne et sur le réseau REFIMEVE+.Nous avons deuxièmement évalué les performances d’une méthode de type Two-Way pour la comparaison de deux références de fréquence par fibre optique. Nous avons testé la sensibilité de cette comparaison sur une boucle fibrée de télécommunication de 100 km en propagationunidirectionnelle puis bidirectionnelle, avec une excellente stabilité de la fréquence grâce à une très bonne réjection du bruit de la fibre.Ces résultats ouvrent la voie à la réalisation d’un réseau métrologique à l’échelle nationale et internationale pour la dissémination des meilleures horloges optiques

Two-Way Optical Frequency Comparisons Over 100km Telecommunication Network Fibers

By using two-way frequency transfer, we demonstrate ultra-high resolution comparison of optical frequencies over a telecommunication fiber link of 100 km operating simultaneously digital data transfer. We first propose and experiment a bi-directional scheme using a single fiber. We show that the relative stability at 1 s integration time is 7 10^18 and scales down to 5 10^21. The same level of performance is reached when an optical link is implemented with an active compensation of the fiber noise. We also implement a real-time two-way frequency comparison over a uni-directional telecommunication network using a pair of parallel fibers. The relative frequency stability is 10^15 at 1 s integration time and reaches 2 10^17 at 40 000 s. The fractional uncertainty of the frequency comparisons was evaluated for the best case to 2 10^20. These results open the way to accurate and high resolution frequency comparison of optical clocks over intercontinental fiber networks

Tackling the Limits of Optical Fiber Links

International audienceWe theoretically and experimentally investigate relevant noise processes arising in optical fiber links, which fundamentally limit their relative stability. We derive the unsuppressed delay noise for three configurations of optical links: two-way method, Sagnac interferometry, and actively compensated link, respectively designed for frequency comparison, rotation sensing, and frequency transfer. We also consider an alternative two-way setup allowing real-time frequency comparison and demonstrate its effectiveness on a proof-of-principle experiment with a 25-km fiber spool. For these three configurations, we analyze the noise arising from uncommon fiber paths in the interferometric ensemble and design optimized interferometers. We demonstrate interferometers with very low temperature sensitivity of respectively -2.2, -0.03 and 1 fs/K. We use one of these optimized interferometers on a long haul compensated fiber link of 540 km. We obtain a relative frequency stability of 3x10^-20 after 10,000 s of integration time

Ultra-stable optical fiber link : multiple-users dissemination, study of fundamental and technological limits and new applications

Les liens optiques permettent de disséminer une fréquence de référence ultra-stable à de nombreux laboratoires de recherche pour des mesures de très haute précision en métrologie et au-delà. Nous avons démontré premièrement une extraction simple d’un signal ultra-stable en différents points d’une liaison optique urbaine de 92 km, avec une stabilité de fréquence relative à 1 s de 1, 3 × 10−15 et sensiblement dégradée sur le long terme par les effets thermiques diurnes. Nous avons développé et testé un deuxième dispositif amélioré avec un montage interférométrique compact et activement thermalisé et une diode laser permettant de disséminer le signal vers un lien secondaire dont le bruit est activement compensé. Ces deux dispositifs permettront de disséminer le signal à de multiples utilisateurs en région parisienne et sur le réseau REFIMEVE+. Nous avons deuxièmement évalué les performances d’une méthode de type Two-Way pour la comparaison de deux références de fréquence par fibre optique. Nous avons testé la sensibilité de cette comparaison sur une boucle fibrée de télécommunication de 100 km en propagation unidirectionnelle puis bidirectionnelle, avec une excellente stabilité de la fréquence grâce à une très bonne réjection du bruit de la fibre. Ces résultats ouvrent la voie à la réalisation d’un réseau métrologique à l’échelle nationale et internationale pour la dissémination des meilleures horloges optiques.Optical frequency links give the possibility to disseminate an ultra-stable frequency reference to many research laboratories for precise measurements as performed in frequency metrology and in applied and fundamental physics. We demonstrated first a simple branching network setup dropping an ultra-stable signal at different positions along an urban optical link of 92 km, that exhibits a relative frequency stability of 1.3×10−15 at 1 s integration time, limited by long-term diurnal thermal effects. We developed and tested an improved setupwith a compact and thermalized optical interferometer and a laser diode used to feed a secondary link, which fiber noise is compensated. These two setup open the way to multiple-users dissemination in Paris area and on the REFIMEVE+ network.Second we demonstrated optical frequency comparison using a two-way method. We tested the sensitivity of this comparison over a 100 km telecommunication fiber loop network using either unidirectional or bidirectional propagation, with an excellent frequency stability thanks to the very good rejection of the fiber noise.These results open the way to high-resolution frequency comparison of the best optical clocks over national or international fiber networks

Ultra-stable optical frequency dissemination on a multi-access fibre network

We report the dissemination of an ultrastable optical frequency signal to two distant users simultaneously using a branching network. The ultrastable signal is extracted along a main fibre link; it is optically tracked with a narrow-linewidth laser diode, which light is injected in a secondary link. The propagation noise of both links is actively compensated. We implement this scheme with two links of 50-km fibre spools, the extraction being setup at the mid-point of the main link. We show that the extracted signal at the end of the secondary link exhibits fractional frequency instability of 1.4x10-15 at 1-s measurement time, almost equal to the 1.3x10-15 instability of the main link output end. The long-term instabilities are also very similar, at a level of 3-5x10-20 at 3x104-s integration time. We also show that the setting up of this extraction device, or a simpler one, at the main link input, can test the proper functioning of the noise rejection on this main link. This work is a significant step towards a robust and flexible ultra-stable network for multi-users dissemination

Hybrid fiber links for accurate optical frequency comparison

International audienc

Towards large scale metrological fibre network

In the frame of the REFIMEVE+ project, aiming at disseminating an optical frequency standard to more than 20 laboratories in France, we present the progress made towards a metrological fibre wide-area network

In-line extraction of an ultra-stable frequency signal over an optical fiber link

We demonstrate in-line extraction of an ultra-stable frequency signal over an optical link of 92-km of installed telecommunication fibers, following the proposition of G. Grosche in 2010. We show that the residual frequency noise at the extraction end is noticeably below that at the main link output when the extraction is near the input end, as expected from a simple model of the noise compensation. We obtain relative frequency instabilities, expressed as overlapping Allan deviation, of 8×10-16 at 1 s averaging time and a few 10-19 at 1 day. These results are at the state-of-the-art for a link using urban telecommunication fibers. We also propose an improved scheme which delivers an ultra-stable signal of higher power, in order to feed a secondary link. In-line extraction opens the way to a broad distribution of an ultra-stable frequency reference, enabling a wide range of applications beyond metrology.European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP) contract SIB-02 NEAT-F

Progress on a cascaded optical link between Paris and Strasbourg

We are currently developing a cascaded optical frequency link between Paris and Strasbourg using the French National Research and Education Network RENATER. The ultrastable signal is copropagating with data traffic using wavelength division multiplexing. We have developed some repeater stations to amplify and filter the ultrastable signal between each sections of the link and compensate the propagation noise. The remote operation of these stations is a key element for the deployment of a reliable and large scale metrological network. We report on the first implementation of such a remote station on a 540km cascaded link between Paris and Reims. The stability (modified Allan deviation with lambda-type counter) reaches a few 10-^20 at 1000 s averaging time