Towards a stabilized Kerr optical frequency comb with spatial interference.

Area of Science:

• Photonics and optical physics.

Background:

• Silicon nitride Kerr combs are crucial for generating optical frequency combs.
• Accurate measurement of soliton carrier frequencies is essential for various photonic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure the carrier frequency of a soliton generated by a silicon nitride Kerr comb.
• To validate a novel measurement technique using a spatial interferometer.

Main Methods:

• A spatial interferometer was used to create an interference pattern from the soliton.
• Optical frequencies were determined by calibrating interference patterns against the pump optical frequency.
• Results were compared with real-time measurements from an optical spectrum analyzer (OSA).

Main Results:

• The spatial interferometer successfully measured the soliton's carrier frequency.
• Measurements from the spatial interferometer closely tracked those from the OSA.
• The root-mean-square (RMS) error between the two methods was quantified.

Conclusions:

• The spatial interferometer provides a viable method for measuring soliton carrier frequencies.
• This technique offers an alternative to traditional optical spectrum analyzers for specific applications.
• The study demonstrates good agreement between interferometric and OSA measurements.