Optical arbitrary waveform generation

Optical arbitrary waveform generation will allow waveforms to be synthesized at optical frequencies but with the flexibility currently available at radiofrequencies. This technique is enabled by combining frequency comb technology, which produces trains of optical pulses with a well-defined frequency spectrum, with pulse shaping methods, which are used to transform a train of ultrashort pulses into an arbitrary waveform. To produce a waveform that fills time, the resolution of the shaper must match the repetition rate of the original pulse train, which in turn must have a comb spectrum that is locked to the shaper. Here, we review the current efforts towards achieving optical arbitrary waveform generation and discuss the possible applications of this technology.