Free-running single-cavity dual combs with Hz-level relative linewidth

Abstract

Single-cavity dual-comb lasers provide a compact and efficient source for dual-comb spectroscopy in gas sensing applications; however, achieving sufficient free-running mutual coherence for comb-line-resolved, high-resolution measurements remains challenging. Here, we present a symmetry-engineered bidirectional single-cavity dual-comb laser based on an all-polarization-maintaining fiber architecture. The system exhibits exceptional free-running mutual coherence, achieving Hz-level relative linewidths without active feedback or phase correction. The time-averaged absolute jitter of the dual-comb repetition-rate difference reaches 4.7*10^-7 min-1, representing an improvement of nearly two orders of magnitude over previously reported free-running systems. As a spectroscopic demonstration, we resolve ~49,000 comb lines over a 5.4 THz optical bandwidth and measure the absorption spectrum of carbon monoxide (12CO), faithfully retrieving molecular line shapes with millisecond acquisition times. This architecture provides a compact and robust free-running platform for broadband molecular spectroscopy and millisecond-scale, line-shape-resolved gas sensing.