Combined time and frequency spectroscopy with engineered dual comb spectrometer

Abstract: Dual comb spectroscopy (DCS) is a powerful technique for broadband spectroscopy with high precision and fast data acquisition. High-frequency resolution requires long data acquisition times, limiting the temporal resolution in time-resolved measurements. Here we overcome this limitation by engineering the DCS pulse train that interacts with the sample. The measurement is performed in steps where the number of pulses interacting with the sample varies in each step. The DCS spectrum is recorded in each stage, and a multi-dimensional spectrum is generated from which the system time evolution is deduced. We demonstrate this method by measuring the absorption spectrum of a room temperature rubidium vapor. The measured population dynamics of the excited state show a square dependence on the number of interacting pulses due to the coherent accumulation of population. Rabi oscillations are also observed under intense excitation conditions. This is the first demonstration of DCS with high frequency and time resolutions without invoking pump-probe spectroscopy, uniting the pulsed laser spectral and temporal properties. This method can simultaneously detect the kinetics of different chemical species and the pathway for the chemical reaction.