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Wildi T, Ulanov AE, Voumard T, Ruhnke B, Herr T. Phase-stabilised self-injection-locked microcomb. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7030. [PMID: 39147760 PMCID: PMC11327250 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50842-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Microresonator frequency combs (microcombs) hold great potential for precision metrology within a compact form factor, impacting a wide range of applications such as point-of-care diagnostics, environmental monitoring, time-keeping, navigation and astronomy. Through the principle of self-injection locking, electrically-driven chip-based microcombs with minimal complexity are now feasible. However, phase-stabilisation of such self-injection-locked microcombs-a prerequisite for metrological frequency combs-has not yet been attained. Here, we address this critical need by demonstrating full phase-stabilisation of a self-injection-locked microcomb. The microresonator is implemented in a silicon nitride photonic chip, and by controlling a pump laser diode and a microheater with low voltage signals (less than 1.57 V), we achieve independent control of the comb's offset and repetition rate frequencies. Both actuators reach a bandwidth of over 100 kHz, enabling phase-locking of the microcomb to external frequency references. These results establish photonic chip-based, self-injection-locked microcombs as low-complexity yet versatile sources for coherent precision metrology in emerging applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibault Wildi
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alexander E Ulanov
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thibault Voumard
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Bastian Ruhnke
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Herr
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany.
- Physics Department, Universität Hamburg UHH, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany.
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Murray CE, Tan M, Prayoonyong C, Zhu X, Chu ST, Little BE, Morandotti R, Mitchell A, Moss DJ, Corcoran B. Investigating the thermal robustness of soliton crystal microcombs. OPTICS EXPRESS 2023; 31:37749-37762. [PMID: 38017898 DOI: 10.1364/oe.503072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Soliton crystals are a novel form of microcomb, with relatively high conversion efficiency, good thermal robustness, and simple initiation among the methods to generate them. Soliton crystals can be easily generated in microring resonators with an appropriate mode-crossing. However, fabrication defects can significantly affect the mode-crossing placement and strength in devices. To enable soliton crystal states to be harnessed for a broader range of microcomb applications, we need a better understanding of the link between mode-crossing properties and the desired soliton crystal properties. Here, we investigate how to generate the same soliton crystal state in two different microrings, how changes in microring temperature change the mode-crossing properties, and how mode-crossing properties affect the generation of our desired soliton crystal state. We find that temperature affects the mode-crossing position in these rings but without major changes in the mode-crossing strength. We find that our wanted state can be generated over a device temperature range of 25 ∘C, with different mode-crossing properties, and is insensitive to the precise mode-crossing position between resonances.
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Connor Skehan J, Nair Karunakaran A, Varming P, Helgason ÓB, Montague PB, Schröder J, Pu M, Yvind K, Torres-Company V, Andrekson PA. Thermorefractive noise reduction of photonic molecule frequency combs using an all-optical servo loop. OPTICS EXPRESS 2023; 31:35208-35217. [PMID: 37859257 DOI: 10.1364/oe.496895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Phase and frequency noise originating from thermal fluctuations is commonly a limiting factor in integrated photonic cavities. To reduce this noise, one may drive a secondary "servo/cooling" laser into the blue side of a cavity resonance. Temperature fluctuations which shift the resonance will then change the amount of servo/cooling laser power absorbed by the device as the laser moves relatively out of or into the resonance, and thereby effectively compensate for the fluctuation. In this paper, we use a low noise laser to demonstrate this principle for the first time in a frequency comb generated from a normal dispersion photonic molecule micro-resonator. Significantly, this configuration can be used with the servo/cooling laser power above the usual nonlinearity threshold since resonances with normal dispersion are available. We report a 50 % reduction in frequency noise of the comb lines in the frequency range of 10 kHz to 1 MHz and investigate the effect of the secondary servo/cooling noise on the comb.
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Geng Y, Cui W, Sun J, Chen X, Yin X, Deng G, Zhou Q, Zhou H. Enhancing the long-term stability of dissipative Kerr soliton microcomb. OPTICS LETTERS 2020; 45:5073-5076. [PMID: 32932456 DOI: 10.1364/ol.400656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
A temporal dissipative Kerr soliton (DKS) frequency comb can be generated in an optical micro-cavity relying on the rigid balance between cavity decay (dispersion) and parametric gain (nonlinear phase modulation) induced by an intense pump laser. In practice, to maintain such delicate double balances experienced by the intracavity soliton pulses, it requires precise control of the pump laser frequency and power, as well as the micro-cavity parameters. However, to date there still lacks experimental demonstration that simultaneously stabilizes all these key parameters to enhance the long-term DKS stability. Here, we demonstrate continuous working of a on-chip DKS microcomb for a record-breaking 14 days without showing any sign of breakdown. Such improved microcomb stability is enabled mainly by robust pump power coupling to the micro-cavity utilizing packaged planar-lightwave-circuit mode converters, and faithful locking of the pump frequency detuning via an auxiliary laser heating method. In addition to superior stability, the demonstrated DKS microcomb system also achieves favorable compactness, with all the accessory modules being assembled into a standard 4U case. We hope that our demonstration could prompt the practical utilization of Kerr microcombs in real-world applications.
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Liu J, Weng H, Afridi AA, Li J, Dai J, Ma X, Long H, Zhang Y, Lu Q, Donegan JF, Guo W. Photolithography allows high-Q AlN microresonators for near octave-spanning frequency comb and harmonic generation. OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 28:19270-19280. [PMID: 32672207 DOI: 10.1364/oe.395013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Single-crystal aluminum nitride (AlN) possessing both strong Pockels and Kerr nonlinear optical effects as well as a very large band gap is a fascinating optical platform for integrated nonlinear optics. In this work, fully etched AlN-on-sapphire microresonators with a high-Q of 2.1 × 106 for the TE00 mode are firstly demonstrated with the standard photolithography technique. A near octave-spanning Kerr frequency comb ranging from 1100 to 2150 nm is generated at an on-chip power of 406 mW for the TM00 mode. Due to the high confinement, the TE10 mode also excites a Kerr comb from 1270 to 1850nm at 316 mW. In addition, frequency conversion to visible light is observed during the frequency comb generation. Our work will lead to a large-scale, low-cost, integrated nonlinear platform based on AlN.
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Weng W, Lucas E, Lihachev G, Lobanov VE, Guo H, Gorodetsky ML, Kippenberg TJ. Spectral Purification of Microwave Signals with Disciplined Dissipative Kerr Solitons. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2019; 122:013902. [PMID: 31012679 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.122.013902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Continuous-wave-driven Kerr nonlinear microresonators give rise to self-organization in terms of dissipative Kerr solitons, which constitute optical frequency combs that can be used to generate low-noise microwave signals. Here, by applying either amplitude or phase modulation to the driving laser we create an intracavity potential trap to discipline the repetition rate of the solitons. We demonstrate that this effect gives rise to a novel spectral purification mechanism of the external microwave signal frequency, leading to reduced phase noise of the output signal. We experimentally observe that the microwave signal generated from disciplined solitons is injection locked by the external drive at long timescales, but exhibits an unexpected suppression of the fast timing jitter. Counterintuitively, this filtering takes place for frequencies that are substantially lower than the cavity decay rate. As a result, while the long timescale stability of the Kerr frequency comb's repetition rate is improved by more than 4 orders of magnitude, the purified microwave signal shows a reduction of the phase noise by 30 dB at offset frequencies above 10 kHz.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenle Weng
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Erwan Lucas
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Grigory Lihachev
- Russian Quantum Center, Skolkovo 143025, Russia
- Faculty of Physics, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Hairun Guo
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michael L Gorodetsky
- Russian Quantum Center, Skolkovo 143025, Russia
- Faculty of Physics, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Tobias J Kippenberg
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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Zhou H, Geng Y, Cui W, Huang SW, Zhou Q, Qiu K, Wei Wong C. Soliton bursts and deterministic dissipative Kerr soliton generation in auxiliary-assisted microcavities. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2019; 8:50. [PMID: 31149335 PMCID: PMC6538660 DOI: 10.1038/s41377-019-0161-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Dissipative Kerr solitons in resonant frequency combs offer a promising route for ultrafast mode-locking, precision spectroscopy and time-frequency standards. The dynamics for the dissipative soliton generation, however, are intrinsically intertwined with thermal nonlinearities, limiting the soliton generation parameter map and statistical success probabilities of the solitary state. Here, via use of an auxiliary laser heating approach to suppress thermal dragging dynamics in dissipative soliton comb formation, we demonstrate stable Kerr soliton singlet formation and soliton bursts. First, we access a new soliton existence range with an inverse-sloped Kerr soliton evolution-diminishing soliton energy with increasing pump detuning. Second, we achieve deterministic transitions from Turing-like comb patterns directly into the dissipative Kerr soliton singlet pulse bypassing the chaotic states. This is achieved by avoiding subcomb overlaps at lower pump power, with near-identical singlet soliton comb generation over twenty instances. Third, with the red-detuned pump entrance route enabled, we uncover unique spontaneous soliton bursts in the direct formation of low-noise optical frequency combs from continuum background noise. The burst dynamics are due to the rapid entry and mutual attraction of the pump laser into the cavity mode, aided by the auxiliary laser and matching well with our numerical simulations. Enabled by the auxiliary-assisted frequency comb dynamics, we demonstrate an application of automatic soliton comb recovery and long-term stabilization against strong external perturbations. Our findings hold potential to expand the parameter space for ultrafast nonlinear dynamics and precision optical frequency comb stabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Zhou
- Key Lab of Optical Fiber Sensing and Communication Networks, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China
| | - Yong Geng
- Key Lab of Optical Fiber Sensing and Communication Networks, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China
| | - Wenwen Cui
- Key Lab of Optical Fiber Sensing and Communication Networks, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China
| | - Shu-Wei Huang
- Fang Lu Mesoscopic Optics and Quantum Electronics Laboratory, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
- Department of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309 USA
| | - Qiang Zhou
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China
| | - Kun Qiu
- Key Lab of Optical Fiber Sensing and Communication Networks, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China
| | - Chee Wei Wong
- Fang Lu Mesoscopic Optics and Quantum Electronics Laboratory, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
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Cossel KC, Waxman EM, Finneran IA, Blake GA, Ye J, Newbury NR. Gas-phase broadband spectroscopy using active sources: progress, status, and applications. JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA. B, OPTICAL PHYSICS 2017; 34:104-129. [PMID: 28630530 PMCID: PMC5473295 DOI: 10.1364/josab.34.000104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Broadband spectroscopy is an invaluable tool for measuring multiple gas-phase species simultaneously. In this work we review basic techniques, implementations, and current applications for broadband spectroscopy. We discuss components of broad-band spectroscopy including light sources, absorption cells, and detection methods and then discuss specific combinations of these components in commonly-used techniques. We finish this review by discussing potential future advances in techniques and applications of broad-band spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin C. Cossel
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA
| | - Eleanor M. Waxman
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA
| | - Ian A. Finneran
- Division of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125
| | - Geoffrey A. Blake
- Division of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125
| | - Jun Ye
- JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Colorado, Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Nathan R. Newbury
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA
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Brasch V, Geiselmann M, Pfeiffer MHP, Kippenberg TJ. Bringing short-lived dissipative Kerr soliton states in microresonators into a steady state. OPTICS EXPRESS 2016; 24:29312-29320. [PMID: 27958591 DOI: 10.1364/oe.24.029312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Dissipative Kerr solitons have recently been generated in optical microresonators, enabling ultrashort optical pulses at microwave repetition rates, that constitute coherent and numerically predictable Kerr frequency combs. However, the seeding and excitation of the temporal solitons is associated with changes in the intracavity power that can lead to large thermal resonance shifts and render the soliton states in most commonly used resonator platforms short lived. Here we describe a "power kicking" method to overcome this instability by modulating the power of the pump laser. With this method also initially very short-lived (of the order of 100 ns) soliton states can be brought into a steady state in contrast to techniques reported earlier which relied on an adjustment of the laser scan speed only. Once the soliton state is in a steady state it can persist for hours and is thermally self-locked.
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Lim J, Huang SW, Vinod AK, Mortazavian P, Yu M, Kwong DL, Savchenkov AA, Matsko AB, Maleki L, Wong CW. Stabilized chip-scale Kerr frequency comb via a high-Q reference photonic microresonator. OPTICS LETTERS 2016; 41:3706-9. [PMID: 27519068 DOI: 10.1364/ol.41.003706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
We stabilize a chip-scale Si3N4 phase-locked Kerr frequency comb via locking the pump laser to an independent stable high-Q reference microresonator and locking the comb spacing to an external microwave oscillator. In this comb, the pump laser shift induces negligible impact on the comb spacing change. This scheme is a step toward miniaturization of the stabilized Kerr comb system as the microresonator reference can potentially be integrated on-chip. Fractional instability of the optical harmonics of the stabilized comb is limited by the microwave oscillator used for a comb spacing lock below 1 s averaging time and coincides with the pump laser drift in the long term.
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