Towards precise one-way fiber-based frequency dissemination using phase-sensitive amplification.

In this Letter, we conceptually demonstrate the potential of a phase-sensitive amplifier to operate as an active detector of stochastic phase changes in fiber-based frequency dissemination systems with two orders of magnitude better sensitivity than state-of-the-art one-way systems relying on two-wavelength dissemination schemes. Theoretical and experimental analyses show that these stochastic phase changes (caused by environmental changes, e.g., due to temperature) can be detected with high sensitivity via optical phase comparison performed within the phase-sensitive amplifier. Experimental results are in close agreement with theoretical predictions showing that phase-sensitive amplifiers may find a niche application in metrology, with potential to significantly improve one-way fiber-based frequency dissemination systems.