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Updated: Jul 14, 2026
06:42
Generation and Coherent Control of Pulsed Quantum Frequency Combs
Published on: June 8, 2018
Optical generation of a precise microwave frequency comb by harmonic frequency locking.
Sze-Chun Chan1, Guang-Qiong Xia, Jia-Ming Liu
1Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095-1594, USA. scchan@ucla.edu
Optics Letters
|July 3, 2007
Summary
Semiconductor lasers with optoelectronic feedback generate microwave frequency combs. External microwave modulation can stabilize all comb components, demonstrating microwave injection locking of laser dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Electrical Engineering
- Optoelectronics
Background:
- Semiconductor lasers are crucial for generating optical and microwave signals.
- Nonlinear dynamics in lasers can lead to complex spectral properties.
- Frequency combs are essential tools in metrology and communications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the generation of microwave frequency combs using a semiconductor laser with negative optoelectronic feedback.
- To explore the stabilization of these frequency combs via external microwave modulation.
- To understand the underlying nonlinear dynamics and injection locking phenomena.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing a semiconductor laser system with negative optoelectronic feedback.
- Operating the laser in a harmonic frequency-locked pulsing state.
- Applying external microwave modulation to specific frequency components of the generated comb.
Main Results:
- Successfully generated a microwave frequency comb from the laser system.
- Demonstrated that all frequency components of the comb can be simultaneously stabilized.
- Observed a phenomenon analogous to microwave injection locking of laser dynamics.
Conclusions:
- Negative optoelectronic feedback enables microwave frequency comb generation in semiconductor lasers.
- External microwave modulation offers a simple method for stabilizing the entire frequency comb.
- The observed phenomenon provides insights into controlling laser dynamics for signal generation.
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