Time-delay interferometry with optical frequency comb

Heterodyne laser phase measurements in a space-based gravitational wave interferometer are degraded by the phase fluctuations of the onboard clocks, resulting in unacceptable sensitivity performance levels of the interferometric data. In order to calibrate out the clock phase noises, it has previously been suggested that additional interspacecraft phase measurements must be performed by modulating the laser beams. With the advent of self-referenced optical frequency combs, it is possible to generate a heterodyne microwave signal that is coherently referenced to the onboard laser. We show in this case that the microwave noise can be canceled directly by applying modified second-generation time-delay interferometric combinations to the heterodyne phase measurements. This approach avoids the use of modulated laser beams as well as the need for additional ultrastable oscillator clocks.