Dual-comb spectroscopy with a semiconductor disk laser: Towards industrial applications

Dual-comb spectroscopy is known for its high accuracy at a fast acquisition rate. It has the potential to measure many gases simultaneously because the optical spectrum of the source can be very broad. The technology is not widely used today because two bulky, complex and expensive lasers are needed. Here we present dual-comb spectroscopy of water vapor using a substantially simplified single-laser system. Very good measurements are achieved with a free-running dual-comb modelocked semiconductor disk laser. Because the laser is a semiconductor device, the size and costs can be drastically reduced, making it ideal for industrial applications.