Molecular spectroscopy with comb-stabilized diode lasers*

We have constructed a comb-stabilized extended cavity diode laser-based spectrometer designed for precision spectroscopic measurements of chemical intermediates. Initial experiments have concentrated on the detection of sub-Doppler absorptions in acetylene near 1.5 $\mu m$ in order to characterize the instrument. In the immediate future, we plan to attempt a detection of the $X_2 - X_1$ fine structure transition in lead fluoride (PbF) at 1.2 $\mu m$, a molecule targeted because of its potential as a vehicle for a future measurement of the electron's electric dipole moment.