Phase-matched generation of high-order continuous-wave coherent Raman sidebands

We demonstrate the generation of continuous-wave (cw) Raman sidebands through phase-matched four-wave mixing (FWM) in molecular hydrogen. The phase-matching conditions of the intracavity FWM driven in our dispersion-compensated high-finesse cavity are satisfied over a 52.8 THz-wide frequency range (763.9–883.6 nm). This leads to the generation of high-order anti-Stokes emission. The cw Raman sidebands have sufficient bandwidth to allow the synthesis of a train of optical pulses with a duration of 13 fs at a repetition rate of 17.6 THz under phase-locked conditions.