arXiv · 2007.02608
Dissipative Kerr solitons in photonic molecules
Abstract
Many physical systems display quantized energy states. In optics, interacting resonant cavities show a transmission spectrum with split eigenfrequencies, similar to the split energy levels that result from interacting states in bonded multi-atomic, i.e. molecular, systems. Here, we study the nonlinear dynamics of photonic diatomic molecules in linearly coupled microresonators and demonstrate that the system supports the formation of self-enforcing solitary waves when a laser is tuned across a split energy level. The output corresponds to a frequency comb (microcomb) whose characteristics in terms of power spectral distribution are unattainable in single-mode (atomic) systems. Photonic molecule microcombs are coherent, reproducible, and reach high conversion efficiency and spectral flatness whilst operated with a laser power of a few milliwatts. These properties can favor the heterogeneous integration of microcombs with semiconductor laser technology and facilitate applications in optical communications, spectroscopy and astronomy.
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Óskar B. Helgason, Francisco R. Arteaga-Sierra, Zhichao Ye, Krishna Twayana, Peter A. Andrekson, Magnus Karlsson, Jochen Schröder, Victor Torres-Company. 2020-07-06. Dissipative Kerr solitons in photonic molecules. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-020-00757-9
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