Passively mode-locked interband cascade optical frequency combs.

Since their inception, optical frequency combs have transformed a broad range of technical and scientific disciplines, spanning time keeping to navigation. Recently, dual comb spectroscopy has emerged as an attractive alternative to traditional Fourier transform spectroscopy, since it offers higher measurement sensitivity in a fraction of the time. Midwave infrared (mid-IR) frequency combs are especially promising as an effective means for probing the strong fundamental absorption lines of numerous chemical and biological agents.