Comb Source Research Articles

Multispecies and individual gas molecule detection using Stokes solitons in a graphene over-modal microresonator

Soliton frequency combs generate equally-distant frequencies, offering a powerful tool for fast and accurate measurements over broad spectral ranges. The generation of solitons in microresonators can further improve the compactness of comb sources. However the geometry and the material’s inertness of pristine microresonators limit their potential in applications such as gas molecule detection. Here, we realize a two-dimensional-material functionalized microcomb sensor by asymmetrically depositing graphene in an over-modal microsphere. By using one single pump, spectrally trapped Stokes solitons belonging to distinct transverse mode families are co-generated in one single device. Such Stokes solitons with locked repetition rate but different offsets produce ultrasensitive beat notes in the electrical domain, offering unique advantages for selective and individual gas molecule detection. Moreover, the stable nature of the solitons enables us to trace the frequency shift of the dual-soliton beat-note with uncertainty <0.2 Hz and to achieve real-time individual gas molecule detection in vacuum, via an optoelectronic heterodyne detection scheme. This combination of atomically thin materials and microcombs shows the potential for compact photonic sensing with high performances and offers insights toward the design of versatile functionalized microcavity photonic devices.

Hybrid WDM-MDM transmitter with an integrated Si modulator array and a micro-resonator comb source.

We demonstrate a multi-channel silicon photonic transmitter based on wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) and mode division multiplexing (MDM). The light source is realized by a silicon nitride (Si3N4) Kerr frequency comb and optical modulation is realized by silicon electro-optic modulators. Three wavelengths and two modes are employed to increase the optical transmission capacity. The accumulated data rate reaches 150 Gb/s. The dense integration of WDM and MDM components with a compact optical comb source opens new avenues for the future high-capacity multi-dimensional optical transmission.

Soliton-effect compression of picosecond pulses on a photonic chip.

We report soliton-effect pulse compression of low energy (∼25pJ), picosecond pulses on a photonic chip. An ultra-low-loss, dispersion-engineered 40-cm-long waveguide is used to compress 1.2-ps pulses by a factor of 18, which represents, to our knowledge, the largest compression factor yet experimentally demonstrated on-chip. Our scheme allows for interfacing with an on-chip picosecond source and offers a path towards a fully integrated stabilized frequency comb source.

Direct Comb Vernier Spectroscopy for Fractional Isotopic Ratio Determinations.

Accurate isotopic composition analysis of the greenhouse-gasses emitted in the atmosphere is an important step to mitigate global climate warnings. Optical frequency comb–based spectroscopic techniques have shown ideal performance to accomplish the simultaneous monitoring of the different isotope substituted species of such gases. The capabilities of one such technique, namely, direct comb Vernier spectroscopy, to determine the fractional isotopic ratio composition are discussed. This technique combines interferometric filtering of the comb source in a Fabry–Perot that contains the sample gas, with a high resolution dispersion spectrometer to resolve the spectral content of each interacting frequency inside of the Fabry–Perot. Following this methodology, simultaneous spectra of ro-vibrational transitions of CO and CO molecules are recorded and analyzed with an accurate fitting procedure. Fractional isotopic ratio C/C at 3% of precision is measured for a sample of CO gas, showing the potentialities of the technique for all isotopic-related applications of this important pollutant.

Engineering the spectral bandwidth of quantum cascade laser frequency combs.

Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) facilitate compact optical frequency comb sources that operate in the mid-infrared and terahertz spectral regions, where many molecules have their fundamental absorption lines. Enhancing the optical bandwidth of these chip-sized lasers is of paramount importance to address their application in broadband high-precision spectroscopy. In this work, we provide a numerical and experimental investigation of the comb spectral width and show how it can be optimized to obtain its maximum value defined by the laser gain bandwidth. The interplay of nonoptimal values of the resonant Kerr nonlinearity and cavity dispersion can lead to significant narrowing of the comb spectrum and reveals the best approach for dispersion compensation. The implementation of high mirror losses is shown to be favorable and results in proliferation of the comb sidemodes. Ultimately, injection locking of QCLs by modulating the laser bias around the round trip frequency provides a stable external knob to control the frequency-modulated comb state and recover the maximum spectral width of the unlocked laser state.

Chirped dissipative solitons in driven optical resonators.

Solitons are self-sustaining particle-like wave packets found throughout nature. Optical systems such as optical fibers and mode-locked lasers are relatively simple, are technologically important, and continue to play a major role in our understanding of the rich nonlinear dynamics of solitons. Here we present theoretical and experimental observations of a new class of optical soliton characterized by pulses with large and positive chirp in normal dispersion resonators with strong spectral filtering. Numerical simulations reveal several stable waveforms including dissipative solitons characterized by large frequency chirp. In experiments with fiber cavities driven with nanosecond pulses, chirped dissipative solitons matching predictions are observed. Remarkably, chirped pulses remain stable in low quality-factor resonators despite large dissipation, which enables new opportunities for nonlinear pattern formation. By extending pulse generation to normal dispersion systems and supporting higher pulse energies, chirped dissipative solitons will enable ultrashort pulse and frequency comb sources that are simpler and more effective for spectroscopy, communications, and metrology. Scaling laws are derived to provide simple design guidelines for generating chirped dissipative solitons in microresonator, fiber resonator, and bulk enhancement cavity platforms.

Low Noise Heterogeneous III‐V‐on‐Silicon‐Nitride Mode‐Locked Comb Laser

AbstractGenerating optical combs in a small form factor is of utmost importance for a wide range of applications such as datacom, LIDAR, and spectroscopy. Electrically powered mode‐locked diode lasers provide combs with a high conversion efficiency, while simultaneously allowing for a dense spectrum of lines. In recent years, a number of integrated chip scale mode‐locked lasers have been demonstrated. However, thus far these devices suffer from significant linear and nonlinear losses in the passive cavity, limiting the attainable cavity size and noise performance, eventually inhibiting their application scope. Here, we leverage the ultra‐low losses of silicon‐nitride waveguides to demonstrate a heterogeneously integrated III‐V‐on‐silicon‐nitride passively mode‐locked laser with a narrow 755 MHz line spacing, a radio frequency linewidth of 1 Hz and an optical linewidth below 200 kHz. Moreover, these comb sources are fabricated with wafer scale technology, hence enabling low‐cost and high volume manufacturable devices.

Frequency-offset-tolerant optical frequency comb-based coherent transmission for intra-datacenter interconnections.

In recent years, in order to increase the capacity and scalability of intra-datacenter (DC) transmission, the optical frequency comb (OFC) source has been considered promising to replace discrete lasers, aiming to reduce the cost of wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) transmission within DC. In this paper, an OFC based coherent architecture is proposed. An OFC, in the receiver side, is split by a splitter with a uniform power ratio and separately used as local oscillators (LOs) to detect the demultiplexed signals. The signal spectrum is copied onto every tone of the LO-OFC, and a large frequency offset (FO) tolerance is achieved. In addition, the required ADC sampling rate is the same as a system without FO. Extensive simulations are conducted. In the simulated coherent WDM transmission system, a 3-tone-OFC is used to provide 3 carriers, and an 11-tone-OFC is split and used to provide LO-OFCs. For a 64GBd polarization multiplexing 16 quadrature amplitude modulation (PM-16QAM) WDM transmission, the tolerances of FO are up to about ±0.3THz and ±0.374THz for the 1st/3rd signal, and the 2nd signal, respectively, below the pre-forward error correction (FEC) bit error rate (BER) level of 1.25×10-2. Moreover, the maximum tolerance of FO linearly increases with the number of effective tones in LO-OFC. Further, extensive experiments with back-to-back connection are conducted to verify the performance. The tolerance of FO is up to >36 GHz for 36GBd PM-16QAM transmission with a 3-tone-LO-OFC below the BER level of 1.25×10-2. The proposed OFC based coherent architecture is a promising solution for intra-DC interconnections with a large FO.

Optical frequency comb Fourier transform spectroscopy of 14N216O at 7.8 µm

We use a Fourier transform spectrometer based on a compact mid-infrared difference frequency generation comb source to perform broadband high-resolution measurements of nitrous oxide, 14N216O, and retrieve line center frequencies of the ν1 fundamental band and the ν1 + ν2 – ν2 hot band. The spectrum spans 90 cm−1 around 1285 cm−1 with a sample point spacing of 3 × 10−4 cm−1 (9 MHz). We report line positions of 72 lines in the ν1 fundamental band between P(37) and R(38), and 112 lines in the ν1 + ν2 – ν2 hot band (split into two components with e/f rotationless parity) between P(34) and R(33), with uncertainties in the range of 90-600 kHz. We derive upper state constants of both bands from a fit of the effective ro-vibrational Hamiltonian to the line center positions. For the fundamental band, we observe excellent agreement in the retrieved line positions and upper state constants with those reported in a recent study by AlSaif et al. using a comb-referenced quantum cascade laser [J Quant Spectrosc Radiat Transf, 2018;211:172-178]. We determine the origin of the hot band with precision one order of magnitude better than previous work based on FTIR measurements by Toth [http://mark4sun.jpl.nasa.gov/n2o.html], which is the source of the HITRAN2016 data for these bands.

Hybrid 28 GHz MMW over fiber-wireless QPSK transmission system based on mid L-band external injection-locked quantum-dash laser comb source

We report on the generation and transmission of millimeter-wave (MMW) beat-tone at 28 GHz from an external injection-locked InAs/InP quantum-dash laser-based comb source emitting in mid L-band. The MMW beat-tone exhibited a narrow linewidth, and low phase noise of ~ −122 dBc/Hz at 1.0 MHz offset frequency, thus demonstrating superior characteristics. Thereafter, we achieved a successful transmission of 2 Gbps quadrature-phase-shift-keying (QPSK) signal over 28 GHz MMW beat-tone carrier on 4 m wireless channel as well as 20 km single-mode fiber and 4 m wireless hybrid channel, exhibiting receiver sensitivities of −1.0 and −0.5 dBm, respectively. This demonstration paves the way for the potential deployment of this new-class of MMW photonic source in future passive optical networks and 5G, enabling exploiting hybrid architectures and extended L-band wavelength operation besides the conventional C-band.

Millimeter-wave enabled PAM-4 data transmission over hybrid FSO-MMPOF link for access networks

In this paper, we propose a full duplex architecture based on a hybrid link composed of free space optics (FSO) and multimode plastic optical fiber (MMPOF) for short-range wireless access networks. The proposed architecture employs mode group division multiplexing (MGDM) and wavelength reuse techniques to transmit data between central unit (CU) and radio access units (RAUs). An optical frequency comb source to generate multiple optical sidebands is realized using a single laser source to provide 60 GHz millimeter-wave (mm-wave) signals at each RAU by simultaneously transmitting PAM-4 signal on linearly polarized (LP) modes of each optical sideband. Data rate of 2times12 Gbps at mm-wave frequency of 60 GHz is achieved for both downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) transmissions. The transmission of 2times12 Gbps PAM-4 signal over hybrid FSO-MMPOF link is investigated at different values of refractive index structure parameter (C_n^2) by employing log-normal (LN) FSO channel model to support three RAUs in a ring topology. The acceptable receiver sensitivities below −5 and −0.6 dBm for DL and UL transmissions are achieved, respectively. The proposed hybrid architecture can be a potential candidate for future communication networks.

Single mode fiber-free space optic based hybrid $$32\times 2~\text{Gbps}$$ WDM-PON architecture employing optical frequency comb source and polarization multiplexing

In this paper, we propose a cost-efficient single mode fiber-free space optics (SMF-FSO) based hybrid $$32 \times 2~\text{Gbps}$$ wavelength division multiplexed passive optical network (WDM-PON) employing optical frequency comb (OFC) source and polarization multiplexing. OFC source is realized at optical line terminal (OLT) by modulating a single continuous wave (CW) laser source with radio frequency (RF) sinusoidal signal and dual-drive Mach–Zehnder modulator (DD-MZM). 16 coherent optical carriers are used to split into 32 x and y-orthogonal polarization states which are used to transmit the on-off keying (OOK) data of 32 channels to remotely located optical network units (ONUs). The performance of the channels is analyzed with bit error rate (BER) plots employing Gamma–Gamma (GG) FSO channel model at different turbulence regimes and lengths of FSO link. Moreover, the effect of varying the polarization mode dispersion (PMD) on BER is also evaluated. The cost of the proposed architecture is analyzed and compared with conventional PON architecture. The cost efficiency of the proposed architecture is demonstrated by the use of a single CW laser source to transmit the data of 32 users between remote node (RN) and ONUs through FSO links having reduced installation and maintenance costs.

Low-energy-threshold deep-ultraviolet generation in a small-mode-area hollow-core fiber

We demonstrate the generation of wavelength-tunable deep-ultraviolet pulses in a small-mode-area hollow-core fiber fabricated by tapering a nodeless tubular-type hollow-core fiber. Down-scaling of the cross-sectional geometry reduces the pump energy requirement for inducing sufficient nonlinear effects, presenting a unique opportunity for staging low-energy-threshold gas-based nonlinear optics. We report the onset of the ultraviolet light with the pump pulse energy as low as 125 nJ. Our numerical analysis shows that the frequency conversion arises due to soliton phase matching, and therefore shot-to-shot coherence of the ultraviolet emission is well-preserved. It offers a promising platform for a compact ultraviolet frequency comb source.

Deterministic generation of parametrically driven dissipative Kerr soliton

Abstract We theoretically study the nature of parametrically driven dissipative Kerr soliton (PD-DKS) in a doubly resonant degenerate micro-optical parametric oscillator (DR-DμOPO) with the cooperation of χ (2) and χ (3) nonlinearities. Lifting the assumption of close-to-zero group velocity mismatch (GVM) that requires extensive dispersion engineering, we show that there is a threshold GVM above which single PD-DKS in DR-DμOPO can be generated deterministically. We find that the exact PD-DKS generation dynamics can be divided into two distinctive regimes depending on the phase matching condition. In both regimes, the perturbative effective third-order nonlinearity resulting from the cascaded quadratic process is responsible for the soliton annihilation and the deterministic single PD-DKS generation. We also develop the experimental design guidelines for accessing such deterministic single PD-DKS state. The working principle can be applied to different material platforms as a competitive ultrashort pulse and broadband frequency comb source architecture at the mid-infrared spectral range.

Higher-order mode supercontinuum generation in dispersion-engineered liquid-core fibers

Supercontinuum generation enabled a series of key technologies such as frequency comb sources, ultrashort pulse sources in the ultraviolet or the mid-infrared, as well as broadband light sources for spectroscopic methods in biophotonics. Recent advances utilizing higher-order modes have shown the potential to boost both bandwidth and modal output distribution of supercontinuum sources. However, the strive towards a breakthrough technology is hampered by the limited control over the intra- and intermodal nonlinear processes in the highly multi-modal silica fibers commonly used. Here, we investigate the ultrafast nonlinear dynamics of soliton-based supercontinuum generation and the associated mode coupling within the first three lowest-order modes of accurately dispersion-engineered liquid-core fibers. By measuring the energy-spectral evolutions and the spatial distributions of the various generated spectral features polarization-resolved, soliton fission and dispersive wave formation are identified as the origins of the nonlinear broadening. Measured results are confirmed by nonlinear simulations taking advantage of the accurate modeling capabilities of the ideal step-index geometry of our liquid-core platform. While operating in the telecommunications domain, our study allows further advances in nonlinear switching in emerging higher-order mode fiber networks as well as novel insights into the sophisticated nonlinear dynamics and broadband light generation in pre-selected polarization states.

Mid-infrared quantum cascade laser frequency combs with a microstrip-like line waveguide geometry

In this work, a design for a mid-infrared quantum cascade laser frequency comb source that enhances the high frequency response and the comb characteristics of the device is presented. A state-of-the-art active region, grown on a heavily n-doped InP:Si substrate, was processed into a buried heterostructure with a microstrip-like line waveguide. As a result, the repetition rate frequency frep, around 11.09 GHz, can be locked to an injected narrow-linewidth radio frequency (RF) signal, over a range of more than 200 kHz with an injected power of −10 dBm, which outperforms normal buried heterostructure schemes by an order of magnitude. Moreover, under RF injection at powers higher than 20 dBm, the lasing spectrum is flattened and significantly broadened, from 24 cm−1 to 65 cm−1 in bandwidth, while at the same time, the coherence of the comb is maintained and verified.

Frequency-multiplexed hybrid optical entangled source based on the Pockels effect

In the recent years important experimental advances in resonant electro-optic modulators as high-efficiency sources for coherent frequency combs and as devices for quantum information transfer have been realized, where strong optical and microwave mode coupling were achieved. These features suggest electro-optic-based devices as candidates for entangled optical frequency comb sources. In the present work, I study the generation of entangled optical frequency combs in millimeter-sized resonant electro-optic modulators. These devices profit from the experimentally proven advantages such as nearly constant optical free spectral ranges over several gigahertz, and high optical and microwave quality factors. The generation of frequency multiplexed quantum channels with spectral bandwidth in the MHz range for conservative parameter values paves the way towards novel uses in long-distance hybrid quantum networks, quantum key distribution, enhanced optical metrology, and quantum computing.

Effects of optical local oscillator power on the network bit error rate in optical heterodyning of comb lines from a gain-switched VCSEL comb

The photonic technique is a feasible solution for generation of high-frequency RF carrier signals, attracting considerable attention in the past decades. In the laser gain-switching technique for photonic generation of high-frequency RF carrier signals, two optical lines, separated by the desired RF carrier frequency are filtered from the generated optical frequency comb. One of the filtered comb lines is externally modulated with an optical modulator, while the other acts as an optical local oscillator signal. In this paper, we report on the effects of optical local oscillator signal power on the RF carrier signal and the baseband signal of a fronthaul network using a sub-60 GHz RF carrier signal generated from a gain-switched, low-power, VCSEL-based optical frequency comb source. A 56-GHz RF carrier signal was generated by filtering out from the generated optical frequency comb, two optical lines with wavelength difference corresponding to the desired RF carrier frequency. The resultant RF carrier signal was photonically amplitude-modulated with 16-Gbps data before transmitted over 21-km of SSMF. In this study, we investigated the effects of attenuating the optical local oscillator signal power below the modulated optical carrier signal power. It was found that the RF carrier power is reduced when attenuating the optical local oscillator power below the power of the modulated optical carrier signal. However, the performance of the baseband signal is improved. It was found that by optimally establishing a power ratio between the two filtered optical signals, a power gain of up to 18-dB can be achieved to reach an error-free BER of 10−9 for the baseband signal. For the RF signal at the beating frequency, it was found that reducing the power of the modulated optical carrier signal below the power of the optical local oscillator signal could results in power improvements.

Chip-based optical frequency combs for high-capacity optical communications

Abstract Current fibre optic communication systems owe their high-capacity abilities to the wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) technique, which combines data channels running on different wavelengths, and most often requires many individual lasers. Optical frequency combs, with equally spaced coherent comb lines derived from a single source, have recently emerged as a potential substitute for parallel lasers in WDM systems. Benefits include the stable spacing and broadband phase coherence of the comb lines, enabling improved spectral efficiency of transmission systems, as well as potential energy savings in the WDM transmitters. In this paper, we discuss the requirements to a frequency comb for use in a high-capacity optical communication system in terms of optical linewidth, per comb line power and optical carrier-to-noise ratio, and look at the scaling of a comb source for ultra-high capacity systems. Then, we review the latest advances of various chip-based optical frequency comb generation schemes and their applications in optical communications, including mode-locked laser combs, spectral broadening of frequency combs, microresonator-based Kerr frequency combs and electro-optic frequency combs.

Dual-comb Spectroscopy for Laminar Premixed Flames with a Free-running Fiber Laser

ABSTRACT Dual-comb spectroscopy (DCS) has emerged as an important new technique for high-resolution molecular spectroscopy. However, this powerful tool has not been widely utilized in combustion diagnostics due to the difficulty of maintaining the mutual coherence between the two comb sources. In this work, we demonstrated a free-running fiber-laser-based DCS for in situ and non-intrusive H2O and C2H2 measurements in laminar premixed flames. This picometer-resolution dual-comb spectroscopic system was developed by using a single erbium-doped fiber laser at 1.5 μm along with a multipass optical configuration for the enhanced absorption measurement. Because of the mutual coherence of the two comb pulse trains emitted from the same laser cavity, DCS could be performed without using any phase-locking systems. Absorption spectra of CH4/O2/air flames over the spectral range 6503 cm−1 – 6535 cm−1 were measured at different reactant flow rates and heights above the burner, showing a good agreement with the spectral simulation of high-temperature H2O using the HITEMP database. A noise equivalent (1σ) absorption coefficient of 9.5 × 10−5 cm−1 was achieved using the current DCS system. Besides, the dual-comb measurement of a C2H4/air sooting flame was also performed at the equivalence ratio Ф = 2.94 and compared with the spectral simulation of high-temperature H2O and C2H2. All the spectral data were retrieved by 1500 averages of interferograms to increase the spectral signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), but a single interferogram could be acquired at 0.83 ms using the current free-running dual-wavelength fiber laser.