On-chip mid-IR octave-tunable Raman soliton laser

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Materials Science
• Optics

Background:

• Photonic chip-based tunable lasers are crucial for photonic integrated circuits (PICs).
• Mid-infrared (mid-IR) laser sources are essential for photonic sensing and spectroscopy.
• Chalcogenide glass waveguides offer unique nonlinear properties for mid-IR applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To theoretically investigate mid-infrared Raman soliton propagation in a chalcogenide glass waveguide.
• To propose a suspended chalcogenide glass waveguide design for tunable mid-IR laser generation.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical investigation of soliton propagation dynamics.
• Engineering waveguide dispersion and nonlinear interactions.
• Numerical simulation of Raman soliton generation in a Ge28Sb12Se60 waveguide.

Main Results:

• A suspended chalcogenide glass waveguide enabling octave-tuning (1.96 µm to 3.98 µm) Raman soliton generation.
• Achieved octave-spanning tunability from a single device.
• Low pico-Joule threshold pump energy for soliton generation.

Conclusions:

• The proposed suspended chalcogenide waveguide offers a viable solution for continuously tunable on-chip mid-IR ultrafast laser sources.
• This work advances the development of integrated photonic devices for mid-IR applications.
• The results pave the way for compact and versatile spectroscopic and sensing systems.