Soliton dual frequency combs in crystalline microresonators

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Laser Physics

Background:

• Dual-comb spectroscopy requires precise control over optical frequencies.
• Compact and stable light sources are crucial for advanced photonic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel compact dual-comb source.
• To demonstrate its potential for generating radio frequency combs.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a monolithic optical crystalline MgF2 multi-resonator stack.
• Generated coherent soliton combs in two microresonators.
• Employed heterodyning to obtain the radio frequency comb.

Main Results:

• Achieved a repetition rate of 12.1 GHz with a frequency difference of 1.62 MHz.
• Produced a 300 MHz wide radio frequency comb.
• Demonstrated a compact and monolithic dual-comb source.

Conclusions:

• The developed system offers a novel approach to dual-comb generation.
• Potential applications include dual-comb spectroscopy, coherent LIDAR, and optical communications.
• The compact nature of the source enhances its practical utility.