Communication: Saturated CO2 absorption near 1.6 μm for kilohertz-accuracy transition frequencies

Doppler-free saturated-absorption Lamb dips were measured on weak rovibrational lines of (12)C(16)O2 between 6189 and 6215 cm(-1) at sub-Pa pressures using optical feedback frequency stabilized cavity ring-down spectroscopy. By referencing the laser source to an optical frequency comb, transition frequencies for ten lines of the 30013←00001 band P-branch and two lines of the 31113←01101 hot band R-branch were determined with an accuracy of a few parts in 10(11). Involving rotational quantum numbers up to 42, the data were used for improving the upper level spectroscopic constants. These results provide a highly accurate reference frequency grid over the spectral interval from 1599 to 1616 nm.