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Mizrahi JP, Courtright L, Shandilya P, Menyuk CR, Gat O. Soliton synchronization in microresonators with a modulated pump. Phys Rev E 2024; 109:064204. [PMID: 39021014 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.109.064204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Microresonator frequency comb generation from Kerr solitons has become a cutting edge technology, but challenges remain in creating, maintaining, and controlling the solitons. Pump modulation and dual pumping are promising techniques for meeting these challenges. Here we derive the equation of motion of solitons interacting with a modulated pump in the framework of synchronization theory. It implies that the soliton repetition rate locks to the modulation frequency whenever the latter is within a locking range of frequencies around an integer multiple of the free spectral range of the microresonator. We calculate explicitly, numerically, and in perturbation theory the width of the locking range as a function of the amplitude and frequency of the pump and the modulation phase. We show that a highly red-detuned, strong pump that is amplitude-modulated provides the best conditions for entrainment, and that the width of the locking range is proportional to the square of the modulation frequency, limiting the effectiveness of RF modulation as an entrainment method.
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2
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Kudelin I, Groman W, Ji QX, Guo J, Kelleher ML, Lee D, Nakamura T, McLemore CA, Shirmohammadi P, Hanifi S, Cheng H, Jin N, Wu L, Halladay S, Luo Y, Dai Z, Jin W, Bai J, Liu Y, Zhang W, Xiang C, Chang L, Iltchenko V, Miller O, Matsko A, Bowers SM, Rakich PT, Campbell JC, Bowers JE, Vahala KJ, Quinlan F, Diddams SA. Photonic chip-based low-noise microwave oscillator. Nature 2024; 627:534-539. [PMID: 38448599 PMCID: PMC10954552 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07058-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Numerous modern technologies are reliant on the low-phase noise and exquisite timing stability of microwave signals. Substantial progress has been made in the field of microwave photonics, whereby low-noise microwave signals are generated by the down-conversion of ultrastable optical references using a frequency comb1-3. Such systems, however, are constructed with bulk or fibre optics and are difficult to further reduce in size and power consumption. In this work we address this challenge by leveraging advances in integrated photonics to demonstrate low-noise microwave generation via two-point optical frequency division4,5. Narrow-linewidth self-injection-locked integrated lasers6,7 are stabilized to a miniature Fabry-Pérot cavity8, and the frequency gap between the lasers is divided with an efficient dark soliton frequency comb9. The stabilized output of the microcomb is photodetected to produce a microwave signal at 20 GHz with phase noise of -96 dBc Hz-1 at 100 Hz offset frequency that decreases to -135 dBc Hz-1 at 10 kHz offset-values that are unprecedented for an integrated photonic system. All photonic components can be heterogeneously integrated on a single chip, providing a significant advance for the application of photonics to high-precision navigation, communication and timing systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Kudelin
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO, USA.
- Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
| | - William Groman
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Qing-Xin Ji
- T. J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Joel Guo
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Megan L Kelleher
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Dahyeon Lee
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Takuma Nakamura
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Charles A McLemore
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Pedram Shirmohammadi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Samin Hanifi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Haotian Cheng
- Department of Applied Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Naijun Jin
- Department of Applied Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lue Wu
- T. J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Samuel Halladay
- Department of Applied Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yizhi Luo
- Department of Applied Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Zhaowei Dai
- Department of Applied Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Warren Jin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Junwu Bai
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Yifan Liu
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Wei Zhang
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Chao Xiang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Lin Chang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Vladimir Iltchenko
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Owen Miller
- Department of Applied Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Andrey Matsko
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Steven M Bowers
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Peter T Rakich
- Department of Applied Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Joe C Campbell
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - John E Bowers
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Kerry J Vahala
- T. J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Franklyn Quinlan
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO, USA
- Electrical Computer & Energy Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Scott A Diddams
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO, USA.
- Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
- Electrical Computer & Energy Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
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3
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Sun Y, Wu J, Li Y, Moss DJ. Comparison of Microcomb-Based Radio-Frequency Photonic Transversal Signal Processors Implemented with Discrete Components Versus Integrated Chips. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:1794. [PMID: 37763957 PMCID: PMC10535319 DOI: 10.3390/mi14091794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
RF photonic transversal signal processors, which combine reconfigurable electrical digital signal processing and high-bandwidth photonic processing, provide a powerful solution for achieving adaptive high-speed information processing. Recent progress in optical microcomb technology provides compelling multi-wavelength sources with a compact footprint, yielding a variety of microcomb-based RF photonic transversal signal processors with either discrete or integrated components. Although they operate based on the same principle, the processors in these two forms exhibit distinct performances. This paper presents a comparative investigation of their performances. First, we compare the performances of state-of-the-art processors, focusing on the processing accuracy. Next, we analyze various factors that contribute to the performance differences, including the tap number and imperfect response of experimental components. Finally, we discuss the potential for future improvement. These results provide a comprehensive comparison of microcomb-based RF photonic transversal signal processors implemented using discrete and integrated components and provide insights for their future development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jiayang Wu
- Optical Sciences Centre, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
| | | | - David J. Moss
- Optical Sciences Centre, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
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4
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Shitikov AE, Galiev RR, Min'kov KN, Kondratiev NM, Cordette SJ, Lobanov VE, Bilenko IA. Red narrow-linewidth lasing and frequency comb from gain-switched self-injection-locked Fabry-Pérot laser diode. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9830. [PMID: 37330585 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36229-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Narrow-linewidth lasers are in extensive demand for numerous cutting-edge applications. Such lasers operating at the visible range are of particular interest. Self-injection locking of a laser diode frequency to a high-Q whispering gallery mode is an effective and universal way to achieve superior laser performance. We demonstrate ultranarrow lasing with less than 10 Hz instantaneous linewidth for 20 [Formula: see text]s averaging time at 638 nm using a Fabry-Pérot laser diode locked to a crystalline MgF[Formula: see text] microresonator. The linewidth measured with a [Formula: see text]-separation line technique that characterizes 10 ms stability is as low as 1.4 kHz. Output power exceeds 80 mW. Demonstrated results are among the best for visible-range lasers in terms of linewidth combined with solid output power. We additionally report the first demonstration of a gain-switched regime for such stabilized Fabry-Pérot laser diode showing a high-contrast visible frequency comb generation. Tunable linespacing from 10 MHz to 3.8 GHz is observed. We demonstrated that the beatnote between the lines has sub-Hz linewidth and experiences spectral purification in the self-injection locking regime. This result might be of special importance for spectroscopy in the visible range.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ramzil R Galiev
- Directed Energy Research Centre, Technology Innovation Institute, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Nikita M Kondratiev
- Directed Energy Research Centre, Technology Innovation Institute, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Steevy J Cordette
- Directed Energy Research Centre, Technology Innovation Institute, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Igor A Bilenko
- Russian Quantum Center, Skolkovo, Moscow, 143025, Russia
- Faculty of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
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Chen X, Sun S, Ji W, Ding X, Gao Y, Liu T, Wen J, Guo H, Wang T. Soliton Microcomb on Chip Integrated Si3N 4 Microresonators with Power Amplification in Erbium-Doped Optical Mono-Core Fiber. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:2125. [PMID: 36557424 PMCID: PMC9785997 DOI: 10.3390/mi13122125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Soliton microcombs, offering large mode spacing and broad bandwidth, have enabled a variety of advanced applications, particularly for telecommunications, photonic data center, and optical computation. Yet, the absolute power of microcombs remains insufficient, such that optical power amplification is always required. Here, we demonstrate a combined technique to access power-sufficient optical microcombs, with a photonic-integrated soliton microcomb and home-developed erbium-doped gain fiber. The soliton microcomb is generated in an integrated Si3N4 microresonator chip, which serves as a full-wave probing signal for power amplification. After the amplification, more than 40 comb modes, with 115-GHz spacing, reach the onset power level of >−10 dBm, which is readily available for parallel telecommunications , among other applications.
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Wang ZY, Wang PY, Li M, Wan S, Guo GC, Dong CH. Numerical characterization of soliton microcomb in an athermal hybrid Si 3N 4-TiO 2 microring. APPLIED OPTICS 2022; 61:4329-4335. [PMID: 36256269 DOI: 10.1364/ao.457471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We theoretically investigate the athermal constructions to cancel the thermorefractive effect of a hybrid Si3N4-TiO2 microring, which merges two materials with opposite thermo-optical coefficients (TOCs). The analytical and numerical results predict that the thermorefractive effect can be reduced under the appropriate parameters. In addition, the soliton state is easily accessed under the athermal condition. The thermorefractive noise due to the fluctuation of the microresonator temperature caused by the heat exchange between the microresonator and the surrounding environment is also suppressed by one order of magnitude, which is critical for the potential applications of soliton microcombs, such as spectroscopy, optical clocks and microwave generation.
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Taheri H, Matsko AB, Maleki L, Sacha K. All-optical dissipative discrete time crystals. Nat Commun 2022; 13:848. [PMID: 35165273 PMCID: PMC8844012 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28462-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Time crystals are periodic states exhibiting spontaneous symmetry breaking in either time-independent or periodically-driven quantum many-body systems. Spontaneous modification of discrete time-translation symmetry in periodically-forced physical systems can create a discrete time crystal (DTC) constituting a state of matter possessing properties like temporal rigid long-range order and coherence, which are inherently desirable for quantum computing and information processing. Despite their appeal, experimental demonstrations of DTCs are scarce and significant aspects of their behavior remain unexplored. Here, we report the experimental observation and theoretical investigation of DTCs in a Kerr-nonlinear optical microcavity. Empowered by the self-injection locking of two independent lasers with arbitrarily large frequency separation simultaneously to two same-family cavity modes and a dissipative Kerr soliton, this versatile platform enables realizing long-awaited phenomena such as defect-carrying DTCs and phase transitions. Combined with monolithic microfabrication, this room-temperature system paves the way for chip-scale time crystals supporting real-world applications outside sophisticated laboratories. Discrete time crystals are described by a subharmonic response with respect to an external drive and have been mostly observed in closed periodically-driven systems. Here, the authors demonstrate a dissipative discrete time crystal in a Kerr-nonlinear optical microcavity pumped by two lasers.
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8
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Ultrastable microwave and soliton-pulse generation from fibre-photonic-stabilized microcombs. Nat Commun 2022; 13:381. [PMID: 35046409 PMCID: PMC8770478 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-27992-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to generate lower-noise microwaves has greatly advanced high-speed, high-precision scientific and engineering fields. Microcombs have high potential for generating such low-noise microwaves from chip-scale devices. To realize an ultralow-noise performance over a wider Fourier frequency range and longer time scale, which is required for many high-precision applications, free-running microcombs must be locked to more stable reference sources. However, ultrastable reference sources, particularly optical cavity-based methods, are generally bulky, alignment-sensitive and expensive, and therefore forfeit the benefits of using chip-scale microcombs. Here, we realize compact and low-phase-noise microwave and soliton pulse generation by combining a silica-microcomb (with few-mm diameter) with a fibre-photonic-based timing reference (with few-cm diameter). An ultrastable 22-GHz microwave is generated with −110 dBc/Hz (−88 dBc/Hz) phase noise at 1-kHz (100-Hz) Fourier frequency and 10−13-level frequency instability within 1-s. This work shows the potential of fully packaged, palm-sized or smaller systems for generating both ultrastable soliton pulse trains and microwaves, thereby facilitating a wide range of field applications involving ultrahigh-stability microcombs. A compact yet high-performance stabilization method has been the missing ingredient for microcombs. Here, optical fibre is used for stabilizing microcombs, enabling the generation of ultrastable soliton pulses and microwaves from palm-sized platforms
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9
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Bao C, Yuan Z, Wu L, Suh MG, Wang H, Lin Q, Vahala KJ. Architecture for microcomb-based GHz-mid-infrared dual-comb spectroscopy. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6573. [PMID: 34772953 PMCID: PMC8589843 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26958-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Dual-comb spectroscopy (DCS) offers high sensitivity and wide spectral coverage without the need for bulky spectrometers or mechanical moving parts. And DCS in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) is of keen interest because of inherently strong molecular spectroscopic signatures in these bands. We report GHz-resolution mid-IR DCS of methane and ethane that is derived from counter-propagating (CP) soliton microcombs in combination with interleaved difference frequency generation. Because all four combs required to generate the two mid-IR combs rely upon stability derived from a single high-Q microcavity, the system architecture is both simplified and does not require external frequency locking. Methane and ethane spectra are measured over intervals as short as 0.5 ms, a time scale that can be further reduced using a different CP soliton arrangement. Also, tuning of spectral resolution on demand is demonstrated. Although at an early phase of development, the results are a step towards mid-IR gas sensors with chip-based architectures for chemical threat detection, breath analysis, combustion studies, and outdoor observation of trace gases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengying Bao
- T. J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments, Department of Precision Instruments, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Zhiquan Yuan
- T. J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Lue Wu
- T. J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Myoung-Gyun Suh
- T. J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
- Physics & Informatics Laboratories, NTT Research, Inc. 940 Stewart Dr, Sunnyvale, CA, 94085, USA
| | - Heming Wang
- T. J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Qiang Lin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14627, USA
| | - Kerry J Vahala
- T. J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA.
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Weng W, Kaszubowska-Anandarajah A, He J, Lakshmijayasimha PD, Lucas E, Liu J, Anandarajah PM, Kippenberg TJ. Gain-switched semiconductor laser driven soliton microcombs. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1425. [PMID: 33658513 PMCID: PMC7930029 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21569-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Dissipative Kerr soliton generation using self-injection-locked III-V lasers has enabled fully integrated hybrid microcombs that operate in turnkey mode and can access microwave repetition rates. Yet, continuous-wave-driven soliton microcombs exhibit low energy conversion efficiency and high optical power threshold, especially when the repetition frequencies are within the microwave range that is convenient for direct detection with off-the-shelf electronics. Here, by actively switching the bias current of injection-locked III-V semiconductor lasers with switching frequencies in the X-band and K-band microwave ranges, we pulse-pump both crystalline and integrated microresonators with picosecond laser pulses, generating soliton microcombs with stable repetition rates and lowering the required average pumping power by one order of magnitude to a record-setting level of a few milliwatts. In addition, we unveil the critical role of the phase profile of the pumping pulses, and implement phase engineering on the pulsed pumping scheme, which allows for the robust generation and the stable trapping of solitons on intracavity pulse pedestals. Our work leverages the advantages of the gain switching and the pulse pumping techniques, and establishes the merits of combining distinct compact comb platforms that enhance the potential of energy-efficient chipscale microcombs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenle Weng
- Institute of Physics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | | | - Jijun He
- Institute of Physics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Prajwal D Lakshmijayasimha
- Photonics Systems and Sensing Laboratory, School of Electronic Engineering, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Ireland
| | - Erwan Lucas
- Institute of Physics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Time and Frequency Division, NIST, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Junqiu Liu
- Institute of Physics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Prince M Anandarajah
- Photonics Systems and Sensing Laboratory, School of Electronic Engineering, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Ireland.
| | - Tobias J Kippenberg
- Institute of Physics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
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11
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Bai Y, Zhang M, Shi Q, Ding S, Qin Y, Xie Z, Jiang X, Xiao M. Brillouin-Kerr Soliton Frequency Combs in an Optical Microresonator. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2021; 126:063901. [PMID: 33635694 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.126.063901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
By generating a Brillouin laser in an optical microresonator, we realize a soliton Kerr microcomb through exciting the Kerr frequency comb using the generated Brillouin laser in the same cavity. The intracavity Brillouin laser pumping scheme enables us to access the soliton states with a blue-detuned input pump. Because of the ultranarrow linewidth and the low-noise properties of the generated Brillouin laser, the observed soliton microcomb exhibits narrow-linewidth comb lines and stable repetition rate. Also, we demonstrate a low-noise microwave signal with phase noise of -49 dBc/Hz at 10 Hz, -130 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz, and -149 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offsets for a 10.43 GHz carrier with only a free-running input pump. The easy operation of the Brillouin-Kerr soliton microcomb with excellent performance makes our scheme promising for practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Bai
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Menghua Zhang
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Qi Shi
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Shulin Ding
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Yingchun Qin
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Zhenda Xie
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Xiaoshun Jiang
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Min Xiao
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
- Department of Physics, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA
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12
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Qi Z, Leshem A, Jaramillo-Villegas JA, D'Aguanno G, Carruthers TF, Gat O, Weiner AM, Menyuk CR. Deterministic access of broadband frequency combs in microresonators using cnoidal waves in the soliton crystal limit. OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 28:36304-36315. [PMID: 33379727 DOI: 10.1364/oe.405655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We present a method to deterministically obtain broad bandwidth frequency combs in microresonators. These broadband frequency combs correspond to cnoidal waves in the limit when they can be considered soliton crystals or single solitons. The method relies on moving adiabatically through the (frequency detuning)×(pump amplitude) parameter space, while avoiding the chaotic regime. We consider in detail Si3N4 microresonators with small or intermediate dimensions and an SiO2 microresonator with large dimensions, corresponding to prior experimental work. We also discuss the impact of thermal effects on the stable regions for the cnoidal waves. Their principal effect is to increase the detuning for all the stable regions, but they also skew the stable regions, since higher pump power corresponds to higher power and hence increased temperature and detuning. The change in the detuning is smaller for single solitons than it is for soliton crystals. Without temperature effects, the stable regions for single solitons and soliton crystals almost completely overlap. When thermal effects are included, the stable region for single solitons separates from the stable regions for the soliton crystals, explaining in part the effectiveness of backwards-detuning to obtaining single solitons.
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13
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Jia K, Wang X, Kwon D, Wang J, Tsao E, Liu H, Ni X, Guo J, Yang M, Jiang X, Kim J, Zhu SN, Xie Z, Huang SW. Photonic Flywheel in a Monolithic Fiber Resonator. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2020; 125:143902. [PMID: 33064523 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.125.143902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate the first compact photonic flywheel with sub-fs time jitter (averaging times up to 10 μs) at the quantum-noise limit of a monolithic fiber resonator. Such quantum-limited performance is accessed through novel two-step pumping scheme for dissipative Kerr soliton generation. Controllable interaction between stimulated Brillouin lasing and Kerr nonlinearity enhances the DKS coherence and mitigates the thermal instability challenge, achieving a remarkable 22-Hz intrinsic comb linewidth and an unprecedented phase noise of -180 dBc/Hz at 945-MHz carrier at free running. The scheme can be generalized to various device platforms for field-deployable precision metrology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunpeng Jia
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Physics, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
- Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Xiaohan Wang
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Physics, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
- Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Dohyeon Kwon
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiarong Wang
- Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Eugene Tsao
- Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Huaying Liu
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Physics, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
- Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Xin Ni
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Physics, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Jian Guo
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Physics, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Mufan Yang
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Physics, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Xiaoshun Jiang
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Physics, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Jungwon Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Shi-Ning Zhu
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Physics, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Zhenda Xie
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Physics, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Shu-Wei Huang
- Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
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14
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Weng W, Kaszubowska-Anandarajah A, Liu J, Anandarajah PM, Kippenberg TJ. Frequency division using a soliton-injected semiconductor gain-switched frequency comb. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/39/eaba2807. [PMID: 32978157 PMCID: PMC7518866 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba2807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
With optical spectral marks equally spaced by a frequency in the microwave or the radio frequency domain, optical frequency combs have been used not only to synthesize optical frequencies from microwave references but also to generate ultralow-noise microwaves via optical frequency division. Here, we combine two compact frequency combs, namely, a soliton microcomb and a semiconductor gain-switched comb, to demonstrate low-noise microwave generation based on a novel frequency division technique. Using a semiconductor laser that is driven by a sinusoidal current and injection-locked to microresonator solitons, our scheme transfers the spectral purity of a dissipative soliton oscillator into the subharmonic frequencies of the microcomb repetition rate. In addition, the gain-switched comb provides dense optical spectral emissions that divide the line spacing of the soliton microcomb. With the potential to be fully integrated, the merger of the two chipscale devices may profoundly facilitate the wide application of frequency comb technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenle Weng
- Laboratory of Photonics and Quantum Measurements (LPQM), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | | | - Junqiu Liu
- Laboratory of Photonics and Quantum Measurements (LPQM), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Prince M Anandarajah
- Photonics Systems and Sensing Lab., School of Electronic Engineering, Dublin City University, Glasnevin D 9, Ireland
| | - Tobias J Kippenberg
- Laboratory of Photonics and Quantum Measurements (LPQM), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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15
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Lucas E, Brochard P, Bouchand R, Schilt S, Südmeyer T, Kippenberg TJ. Ultralow-noise photonic microwave synthesis using a soliton microcomb-based transfer oscillator. Nat Commun 2020; 11:374. [PMID: 31953397 PMCID: PMC6969110 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-14059-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The synthesis of ultralow-noise microwaves is of both scientific and technological relevance for timing, metrology, communications and radio-astronomy. Today, the lowest reported phase noise signals are obtained via optical frequency-division using mode-locked laser frequency combs. Nonetheless, this technique ideally requires high repetition rates and tight comb stabilisation. Here, a microresonator-based Kerr frequency comb (soliton microcomb) with a 14 GHz repetition rate is generated with an ultra-stable pump laser and used to derive an ultralow-noise microwave reference signal, with an absolute phase noise level below -60 dBc/Hz at 1 Hz offset frequency and -135 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz. This is achieved using a transfer oscillator approach, where the free-running microcomb noise (which is carefully studied and minimised) is cancelled via a combination of electronic division and mixing. Although this proof-of-principle uses an auxiliary comb for detecting the microcomb's offset frequency, we highlight the prospects of this method with future self-referenced integrated microcombs and electro-optic combs, that would allow for ultralow-noise microwave and sub-terahertz signal generators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erwan Lucas
- Institute of Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pierre Brochard
- Laboratoire Temps-Fréquence, Université de Neuchâtel, CH-2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Romain Bouchand
- Institute of Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Stéphane Schilt
- Laboratoire Temps-Fréquence, Université de Neuchâtel, CH-2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Südmeyer
- Laboratoire Temps-Fréquence, Université de Neuchâtel, CH-2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Tobias J Kippenberg
- Institute of Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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16
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Weng W, Bouchand R, Lucas E, Kippenberg TJ. Polychromatic Cherenkov Radiation Induced Group Velocity Symmetry Breaking in Counterpropagating Dissipative Kerr Solitons. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2019; 123:253902. [PMID: 31922800 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.123.253902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
High-order-dispersion-induced dispersive waves emitted by dissipative Kerr solitons are frequently observed in microresonator frequency comb generation. Also known as soliton Cherenkov radiation, this type of dispersive wave plays a critical role in comb spectrum broadening as well as the formation of soliton bound states. Here, we report the experimental observation of symmetry breaking in the group velocity of counterpropagating solitons in a crystalline microresonator. Induced by the polychromatic Cherenkov radiation, soliton bound states are formed, showing different group velocities with different spatiotemporal separations between constituent solitons. By bidirectionally pumping the microresonator with laser fields of equal power and frequency, we demonstrate the degeneracy lifting of repetition rates of the counterpropagating solitons. Our work not only shines new light on the impact of dispersive waves in nonlinear cavities, but also introduces a novel approach to develop compact dual-comb spectrometers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenle Weng
- Institute of Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Romain Bouchand
- Institute of Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Erwan Lucas
- Institute of Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tobias J Kippenberg
- Institute of Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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17
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Zhang S, Silver JM, Shang X, Del Bino L, Ridler NM, Del'Haye P. Terahertz wave generation using a soliton microcomb. OPTICS EXPRESS 2019; 27:35257-35266. [PMID: 31878698 DOI: 10.1364/oe.27.035257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The Terahertz or millimeter wave frequency band (300 GHz - 3 THz) is spectrally located between microwaves and infrared light and has attracted significant interest for applications in broadband wireless communications, space-borne radiometers for Earth remote sensing, astrophysics, and imaging. In particular optically generated THz waves are of high interest for low-noise signal generation. Here, we propose and demonstrate stabilized terahertz wave generation using a microresonator-based frequency comb (microcomb). A unitravelling-carrier photodiode (UTC-PD) converts low-noise optical soliton pulses from the microcomb to a terahertz wave at the soliton's repetition rate (331 GHz). With a free-running microcomb, the Allan deviation of the Terahertz signal is 4.5×10-9 at 1 s measurement time with a phase noise of -72 dBc/Hz (-118 dBc/Hz) at 10 kHz (10 MHz) offset frequency. By locking the repetition rate to an in-house hydrogen maser, in-loop fractional frequency stabilities of 9.6×10-15 and 1.9×10-17 are obtained at averaging times of 1 s and 2000 s respectively, indicating that the stability of the generated THz wave is limited by the maser reference signal. Moreover, the terahertz signal is successfully used to perform a proof-of-principle demonstration of terahertz imaging of peanuts. Combining the monolithically integrated UTC-PD with an on-chip microcomb, the demonstrated technique could provide a route towards highly stable continuous terahertz wave generation in chip-scale packages for out-of-the-lab applications. In particular, such systems would be useful as compact tools for high-capacity wireless communication, spectroscopy, imaging, remote sensing, and astrophysical applications.
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