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arXiv · 2505.18911

Topological Quenching of Noise in a Free-Running Moebius Microcomb

Debayan Das·Antonio Cutrona·Andrew C. Cooper·Luana Olivieri·Alexander G. Balanov·Sai Tak Chu·Brent E. Little·Roberto Morandotti·David J. Moss·Juan Sebastian Totero Gongora·Marco Peccianti·Gian-Luca Oppo·Alessia Pasquazi
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Abstract

Microcombs require ultralow-noise repetition rates to enable next-generation applications in metrology, high-speed communications, microwave photonics, and sensing, where spectral purity is a central performance metric. Best-performing sources operate actively locked at "quiet points" in parameter space, fixed by device and material properties. Creating broad, low-noise operating regions with relaxed constraints-especially in simplified free-running architectures that avoid electronics-heavy control-remains an open challenge. Here, we demonstrate a symmetry-protected topological M\"obius soliton molecule that enables intrinsically low phase noise in a fully free-running microcomb, operating without any external referencing or control. Using a microresonator-filtered laser, we implement a M\"obius geometry via interleaved microcavity modes. Upon the formation of a topological M\"obius soliton molecule, the free-running laser exhibits over 15 dB of phase-noise suppression across 10 Hz-10 kHz at a 100 GHz repetition rate, yielding -63 dBc/Hz phase noise at 1 kHz and an Allan deviation of 4x10^-10 at 10 s average time-without any external control. We show that the M\"obius structure brings dynamic robustness to the comb, and we demonstrate a symmetry-protected topological regime that enables long-term drift-invariant operation. Our results establish a route to intrinsically noise-quenched microcombs operating in a fully free-running configuration, governed by internal physical principles and suitable for field-deployable, low-noise photonic systems.

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Debayan Das, Antonio Cutrona, Andrew C. Cooper, Luana Olivieri, Alexander G. Balanov, Sai Tak Chu, Brent E. Little, Roberto Morandotti, David J. Moss, Juan Sebastian Totero Gongora, Marco Peccianti, Gian-Luca Oppo, Alessia Pasquazi. 2025-05-25. Topological Quenching of Noise in a Free-Running Moebius Microcomb. https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.18911

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