Thermally controlled comb generation and soliton modelocking in microresonators

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Quantum Optics

Background:

• Mode-locked frequency combs are crucial for precise measurements.
• Microresonator-based frequency combs offer miniaturization potential.
• Current methods for controlling soliton states can be complex.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate thermally controlled soliton mode-locked frequency comb generation in microresonators.
• To establish a repeatable method for accessing single- and multi-soliton states.
• To simplify the generation of frequency combs for practical applications.

Main Methods:

• Utilized silicon nitride microresonators with integrated heaters.
• Controlled soliton mode-locking by adjusting electric current to the heaters.
• Investigated the effect of thermal tuning on comb generation without altering pump laser parameters.

Main Results:

• Achieved the first demonstration of thermally controlled soliton mode-locking in microresonators.
• Showcased a systematic and repeatable pathway to tune between single- and multi-soliton states.
• Verified that thermal control eliminates the need for pump laser wavelength adjustment.

Conclusions:

• Thermal control offers a simplified and robust method for generating soliton mode-locked frequency combs.
• This technique paves the way for more accessible and user-friendly frequency comb systems.
• Enables potential advancements in chip-based dual-comb spectroscopy and other photonic applications.