Analysis of the feed-forward method for the referencing of a CW laser to a frequency comb

We report on a comprehensive theoretical and experimental analysis of the feed-forward method for external frequency stabilization of a continuous wave laser against a frequency comb. Application of the method to a distributed feedback diode laser at 1.55 mu m allows line narrowing from 800 to 10 kHz, with frequency noise reduction by more than 2 decades up to a Fourier frequency of 100 kHz and a maximum control bandwidth of 0.8 MHz. The results are consistent with a relative phase fluctuation of 1.4 rad rms, as limited by uncompensated high-frequency noise of the slave laser. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America