arXiv subjects

Hansuek Lee

Publications and source records attributed to Hansuek Lee.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Quantum frequency comb with pump-selectable bin pairing and extraction-aware loading in a lithium niobate microresonator

Integrated quantum photonics requires bright, high-fidelity photon-pair sources capable of spectral multiplexing, correlation control, and circuit-compatible extraction. Cavity-enhanced spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) increases pair generation, but triply resonant operation imposes stringent pump-signal-idler spectral-alignment constraints. Moreover, the trade-off between intrinsic generation and coincidence-to-accidental ratio (CAR) does not capture the usable output flux, which depends on photon extraction. Here, we demonstrate a single-pass-pumped, resonator-enhanced quantum frequency comb (QFC) source based on a periodically poled lithium niobate photonic-crystal Fabry-P$é$rot microresonator. The device yields intrinsic and loaded brightnesses of 69.9 and 1.88 MHz/$μ$W, respectively, and a maximum CAR of 16,000. Frequency-resolved measurements reveal 461 cavity-defined bins spanning 1495-1570 nm, and loaded spectral brightness approaching $4.29\times10^9$ pairs/(s$\cdot$mW$\cdot$nm). Heralded autocorrelation measurements yield a second-order autocorrelation $g_H^{(2)}(0)$ as low as $4.0\times10^{-4}$ for a selected high-CAR cavity-defined bin pair. In particular, tuning the single-pass pump deterministically selects correlated frequency-bin pairings within the fixed QFC grid while preserving brightness and pairwise coincidence rates. We further separate intrinsic generation from output photon-pair flux, revealing the loaded-brightness-CAR relation. Together, pump-selectable bin pairing and extraction-aware loading point to tailored SPDC QFCs as chip-integrated nonclassical light resources for multichannel quantum-state transport and information processing.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Analogs of spontaneous emission and lasing in photonic time crystals

We report the first direct mapping of the frequency-resolved local density of states (LDOS) in a photonic time crystal (PTC) implemented as an array of time-periodically modulated LC resonators at microwave frequencies. Broadband white noise probes the system and yields an LDOS lineshape near the momentum gap that can be decomposed into absorptive and dispersive Lorentzian components. The finite LDOS peak at the gap frequency, which grows with modulation strength, implies that the spontaneous emission rate of an emitter coupled to the PTC would be maximized at that frequency. The measured spectra are in good agreement with classical non-Hermitian Floquet theory. As the modulation-induced gain exceeds intrinsic losses, the system undergoes a transition to a narrow-band self-oscillation (lasing) regime. These results open a route to nonequilibrium photonics and bring time-periodic LDOS engineering closer to practical realization.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

High-Q photonic crystal Fabry-Perot micro-resonator in thin-film lithium niobate

Thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) has emerged as a powerful platform for integrated nonlinear and quantum photonics, owing to its strong optical nonlinearities, wide transparency window, and electro- and piezo-optic properties. However, conventional traveling-wave resonators, such as micro-rings, disks, and racetracks, suffer from curvature-dependent group dispersion and losses, limited spectral tunability, and parasitic nonlinearities, which constrain their performance, scalability, and operational stability in nonlinear photonic circuits. Here, we present photonic crystal (PhC) Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-resonators in TFLN that address these limitations. The device features a one-dimensional straight cavity bounded by PhC reflectors and supports well-confined standing-wave resonant modes within an engineered photonic bandgap. We achieve intrinsic quality (Q) factors of up to 1.4e6 and demonstrate that both the free spectral range (FSR) and coupling strength can be consistently controlled via cavity length and PhC coupler design, respectively. The photonic bandgap is tunable across the S-, C-, and L-bands without degradation of resonator performance. Spectral confinement of high-Q resonant modes is expected to mitigate parasitic nonlinearities, such as Raman scattering. These advances, together with the one-dimensional geometry, establish PhC FP micro-resonators as compact and scalable building blocks for high-density photonic integrated circuits targeting next-generation nonlinear and quantum applications.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

Fabrication of a 3D mode size converter for efficient edge coupling in photonic integrated circuits

We demonstrate efficient edge couplers by fabricating a 3D mode size converter on a lithium niobate-on-insulator photonic platform. The 3D mode size converter is fabricated using an etching process that employs a Si external mask to provide height variation and adjust the width variation through tapering patterns via lithography. The measured edge coupling efficiency with a 3D mode size converter was approximately 1.16 dB/facet for the TE mode and approximately 0.71 dB/facet for the TM mode at a wavelength of 1550 nm.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

Enhanced optomechanical coupling between an optically levitated particle and an ultrahigh Q optical microcavity

Exploring the dynamics of an optically levitated dielectric micro- and nanoparticle is an exciting new subject in quantum science. Recent years have witnessed rapid advancements in attaining quantum-limited optical detection and control of a nanoscale particle by coupling its motion to a high-finesse optical cavity in the resolved-sideband regime. In order to control the particle deeper in the quantum regime, it is necessary to significantly enhance the coupling between the particle and the cavity. Here, we present a novel platform that can allow for achieving this. Our system consists of a conventional optical tweezer and a toroidal optical microcavity with an ultrahigh quality (Q) factor. The optomechanical coupling between the particle and the cavity is established by placing the particle in the near field of the cavity. The significantly reduced mode volume allows us to achieve a 50-fold increase in the single photon optomechanical coupling compared to a conventional Fabry-Pérot cavity with macroscopic mirrors, while ultralow loss of the cavity brings the system close to the resolved-sideband regime. Our approach paves the way for enabling quantum experiments on levitated mesoscopic particles with high quantum cooperativity near the resolved-sideband regime.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

A mid-infrared Brillouin laser using ultra-high-Q on-chip resonators

Ultra-high-Q optical resonators have facilitated recent advancements in on-chip photonics by effectively harnessing nonlinear phenomena providing useful functionalities. While these breakthroughs, primarily focused on the near-infrared region, have extended interest to longer wavelengths holding importance for monitoring and manipulating molecules, the absence of ultra-high-Q resonators in this region remains a significant challenge. Here, we have developed on-chip microresonators with a remarkable Q-factor of 38 million, surpassing previous mid-infrared records by over 30 times. Employing innovative fabrication techniques, including the spontaneous formation of light-guiding geometries during material deposition, resonators with internal multilayer structures have been seamlessly created and passivated with chalcogenide glasses within a single chamber. Major loss factors, especially airborne-chemical absorption, were thoroughly investigated and mitigated by extensive optimization of resonator geometries and fabrication procedures. This allowed us to access the fundamental loss performance offered by doubly purified chalcogenide glass sources, as demonstrated in their fiber form. Exploiting this ultra-high-Q resonator, we successfully demonstrated Brillouin lasing on a chip for the first time in the mid-infrared, with a threshold power of 91.9 μW and a theoretical Schawlow-Townes linewidth of 83.45 Hz, far surpassing carrier phase noise. Our results showcase the effective integration of cavity-enhanced optical nonlinearities into on-chip mid-infrared photonics.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2021

A squeezed quantum microcomb on a chip

The optical microresonator-based frequency comb (microcomb) provides a versatile platform for nonlinear physics studies and has wide applications ranging from metrology to spectroscopy. Deterministic quantum regime is an unexplored aspect of microcombs, in which unconditional entanglements among hundreds of equidistant frequency modes can serve as critical ingredients to scalable universal quantum computing and quantum networking. Here, we demonstrate a deterministic quantum microcomb in a silica microresonator on a silicon chip. 40 continuous-variable quantum modes, in the form of 20 simultaneously two-mode squeezed comb pairs, are observed within 1 THz optical span at telecommunication wavelengths. A maximum raw squeezing of 1.6 dB is attained. A high-resolution spectroscopy measurement is developed to characterize the frequency equidistance of quantum microcombs. Our demonstration offers the possibility to leverage deterministically generated, frequency multiplexed quantum states and integrated photonics to open up new avenues in fields of spectroscopy, quantum metrology, and scalable quantum information processing.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2019

Universal light-guiding geometry for high-nonlinear resonators having molecular-scale roughness

By providing an effective way to leverage nonlinear phenomena in chip-scale, high-Q optical resonators have induced the recent advances of on-chip photonics represented by micro-combs and ultra-narrow linewidth lasers. These achievements mainly relying on Si, SiO$_{2}$, and Si$_{3}$N$_{4}$ are expected to be further improved by introducing new materials having higher nonlinearity. However, establishing fabrication processes to shape a new material into the resonator geometries having extremely smooth surfaces on a chip has been a challenging task. Here we describe a universal method to implement high-Q resonators with any materials which can be deposited in high vacuum. This approach, by which light-guiding cores having surface roughness in molecular-scale is automatically defined along the prepatterned platform structures during the deposition, is verified with As$_{2}$S$_{3}$, a typical chalcogenide glass of high-nonlinearity. The Q-factor of the developed resonator is 14.4 million approaching the loss of chalcogenide fibers, which is measured in newly proposed tunable waveguide-to-resonator coupling scheme with high ideality. Lasing by stimulated Brillouin process is demonstrated with threshold power of 0.53 mW which is 100 times lower than the previous record based on chalcogenide glasses. This approach paves the way for bringing various materials of distinguished virtues to the on-chip domain while keeping the loss performance comparable to that of bulk form.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2019

On-chip label-free biosensing based on active whispering gallery mode resonators pumped by a light-emitting diode

Biosensing based on whispering-gallery mode (WGM) resonators has been continuously studied with great attention due to its excellent sensitivity guaranteeing the label-free detection. However, its practical impact is insignificant to date despite notable achievements in academic research. Here, we demonstrate a novel practical platform of on-chip WGM sensors integrated with microfluidic channels. By placing silicon nanoclusters as a stable active compound in micro-resonators, the sensor chip can be operated with a remote pump and readout, which simplifies the chip integration and connection to the external setup. In addition, silicon nanoclusters having large absorption cross-section over broad wavelength range allow active sensing for the first time with an LED pump in a top-illumination scheme which significantly reduces the complexity and cost of the measurement setup. The nano-slot structure of 25 nm gap width is embedded in the resonator where the target bio-molecules are selectively detected with the sensitivity enhanced by strongly confined mode-field. The sensitivity confirmed by real-time measurements for the streptavidin-biotin complex is 0.012 nm/nM, improved over 20 times larger than the previously reported WGM sensors with remote readout.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2015

Phase Coherent Link of an Atomic Clock to a Self-Referenced Microresonator Frequency Comb

The counting and control of optical cycles of light has become common with modelocked laser frequency combs. But even with advances in laser technology, modelocked laser combs remain bulk-component devices that are hand-assembled. In contrast, a frequency comb based on the Kerr-nonlinearity in a dielectric microresonator will enable frequency comb functionality in a micro-fabricated and chip-integrated package suitable for use in a wide-range of environments. Such an advance will significantly impact fields ranging from spectroscopy and trace gas sensing, to astronomy, communications, atomic time keeping and photonic data processing. Yet in spite of the remarkable progress shown over the past years, microresonator frequency combs ("microcombs") have still been without the key function of direct f-2f self-referencing and phase-coherent frequency control that will be critical for enabling their full potential. Here we realize these missing elements using a low-noise 16.4 GHz silicon chip microcomb that is coherently broadened from its initial 1550 nm wavelength and subsequently f-2f self-referenced and phase-stabilized to an atomic clock. With this advance, we not only realize the highest repetition rate octave-span frequency comb ever achieved, but we highlight the low-noise microcomb properties that support highest atomic clock limited frequency stability.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Broadband dispersion engineered microresonator on-a-chip

Control of dispersion in fibre optical waveguides is of critical importance to optical fibre communications systems and more recently for continuum generation from the ultraviolet to the mid-infrared. The wavelength at which the group velocity dispersion crosses zero can be set by varying fibre core diameter or index step. Moreover, sophisticated methods to manipulate higher-order dispersion so as shape and even flatten dispersion over wide bandwidths are possible using multi-cladding fibre. Here we introduce design and fabrication techniques that allow analogous dispersion control in chip-integrated optical microresonators, and thereby demonstrate higher-order, wide-bandwidth dispersion control over an octave of spectrum. Importantly, the fabrication method we employ for dispersion control simultaneously permits optical Q factors above 100 million, which is critical for efficient operation of nonlinear optical oscillators. Dispersion control in high Q systems has taken on greater importance in recent years with increased interest in chip-integrable optical frequency combs.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2014

Dual-microcavity narrow-linewidth Brillouin laser

Ultralow noise, yet tunable lasers are a revolutionary tool in precision spectroscopy, displacement measurements at the standard quantum limit, and the development of advanced optical atomic clocks. Further applications include LIDAR, coherent communications, frequency synthesis, and precision sensors of strain, motion, and temperature. While all applications benefit from lower frequency noise, many also require a laser that is robust and compact. Here, we introduce a dual-microcavity laser that leverages one chip-integrable silica microresonator to generate tunable 1550 nm laser light via stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) and a second microresonator for frequency stabilization of the SBS light. This configuration reduces the fractional frequency noise to $7.8\times10^{-14} 1/\sqrt{Hz}$ at 10 Hz offset, which is a new regime of noise performance for a microresonator-based laser. Our system also features terahertz tunability and the potential for chip-level integration. We demonstrate the utility of our dual-microcavity laser by performing optical spectroscopy with hertz-level resolution.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2013

A microresonator frequency comb optical clock

Optical-frequency combs enable measurement precision at the 20th digit, and accuracy entirely commensurate with their reference oscillator. A new direction in experiments is the creation of ultracompact frequency combs by way of nonlinear parametric optics in microresonators. We refer to these as microcombs, and here we report a silicon-chip-based microcomb optical clock that phase-coherently converts an optical-frequency reference to a microwave signal. A low-noise comb spectrum with 25 THz span is generated with a 2 mm diameter silica disk and broadening in nonlinear fiber. This spectrum is stabilized to rubidium frequency references separated by 3.5 THz by controlling two teeth 108 modes apart. The optical clocks output is the electronically countable 33 GHz microcomb line spacing, which features an absolute stability better than the rubidium transitions by the expected factor of 108. Our work demonstrates the comprehensive set of tools needed for interfacing microcombs to state-of-the-art optical clocks.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2012

Low-Pump-Power, Low-Phase-Noise, and Microwave to Millimeter-wave Repetition Rate Operation in Microcombs

Microresonator-based frequency combs (microcombs or Kerr-combs) can potentially miniaturize the numerous applications of conventional frequency combs. A priority is the realization of broad-band (ideally octave spanning) spectra at detectable repetition rates for comb self referencing. However, access to these rates involves pumping larger mode volumes and hence higher threshold powers. Moreover, threshold power sets both the scale for power per comb tooth and also the optical pump. Along these lines, it is shown that a class of resonators having surface-loss-limited Q factors can operate over a wide range of repetition rates with minimal variation in threshold power. A new, surface-loss-limited resonator illustrates the idea. Comb generation on mode spacings ranging from 2.6 GHz to 220 GHz with overall low threshold power (as low as 1 mW) is demonstrated. A record number of comb lines for a microcomb (around 1900) is also observed with pump power of 200 mW. The ability to engineer a wide range of repetition rates with these devices is also used to investigate a recently observed mechanism in microcombs associated with dispersion of subcomb offset frequencies. We observe high-coherence, phase-locking in cases where these offset frequencies are small enough so as to be tuned into coincidence. In these cases, a record-low microcomb phase noise is reported at a level comparable to an open-loop, high-performance microwave oscillator.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2012

Chip-based Brillouin lasers as spectral purifiers for photonic systems

High coherence lasers are essential in a wide range of applications, however, such performance is normally associated with large laser cavities, because increasing energy storage reduces quantum phase noise and also renders the laser frequency less sensitive to cavity vibration. This basic scaling rule is at odds with an emerging set of optical systems that place focus on compact (optimally integrable) sources of high coherence light. These include phase-coherent optical communication using quadrature-amplitude-modulation, and also record-low phase noise microwave sources based upon optical comb techniques. In this work, the first, chip-based Brillouin laser is demonstrated. It features high-efficiency and single-line operation with the smallest recorded Schawlow-Townes frequency noise for any chip-based laser. Because the frequency offset between the laser's emission and the input pump is relatively small, the device provides a new function: spectral purification of compact, low coherence sources such as semiconductor lasers.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2011

Ultra-high-Q wedge-resonator on a silicon chip

Ultra-high-Q optical resonators are being studied across a wide range of research subjects including quantum information, nonlinear optics, cavity optomechanics, and telecommunications. Here, we demonstrate a new, resonator on-a-chip with a record Q factor of 875 million, surpassing even microtoroids. Significantly, these devices avoid a highly specialized processing step that has made it difficult to integrate microtoroids with other photonic devices and to also precisely control their size. Thus, these devices not only set a new benchmark for Q factor on a chip, but also provide, for the first time, full compatibility of this important device class with conventional semiconductor processing. This feature will greatly expand the possible kinds of system on a chip functions enabled by ultra-high-Q devices.

physics.optics↗