arXiv subjects

Igor A. Bilenko

Publications and source records attributed to Igor A. Bilenko.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Platicon purification in self-injection locking regime via gain switching

Integrated photonic devices leveraging optical frequency microcombs have emerged as essential instruments for modern photonic systems, prized for their chip-scale footprint, high energy efficiency, and inherent stability. This work introduces a novel approach to microwave photonic oscillator based on generation of a Kerr platicon microcomb by a gain-switched self-injection-locked distributed feedback (DFB) laser diode. The system leverages direct modulation of the current of the laser diode, generating optical sidebands around the pump line. The beatnote between the Kerr comb lines and sidebands of the modulated pump at a high-speed photodetector allows to obtain tunable, low-noise microwave signals at frequencies close to the platicon repetition rate, which is many times higher than used for gain switching. We experimentally demonstrate continuous microwave signal frequency tuning from 100 MHz to 3.6 GHz by sweeping the modulation frequency, thereby shifting the generated sidebands relative to a platicon beatnote. We match third harmonics of the modulation frequency of the gain-switch signal with the free spectral range of the microresonator simultaneously generating the platicon microcomb. That leads to significant spectral purification of the platicon beatnote decreasing its phase noise by more than 30 dB. The novel architecture proposed offers a robust and versatile method for microwave synthesis, presenting significant potential for the advancement of integrated microwave photonic systems and their applications in communications, sensing, and metrology.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Low-Threshold Degenerate Optical Parametric Oscillations in Bichromatically-Pumped Normal-Dispersion Photonic-Crystal Microresonator

The process of excitation of degenerate optical parametric oscillations via bichromatic pump is studied numerically in normal-dispersion photonic-crystal microresonator. It is demonstrated that the photonic-crystal structure with two split modes placed symmetrically at the particular interval from the pumped modes provides significant reduction in pump power threshold for the considered process. The parameter range for this phenomenon is determined. Introduction of mode splitting at the signal mode located in the center between pumped modes leads to an increase in the generation threshold.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Intraresonance frequency combs in Kerr microresonators

For more than 20 years, optical microresonators have served as the backbone of integrated nonlinear photonics, exploiting Kerr nonlinearity to generate octave-spanning frequency combs, enable quantum effects, and drive optical parametric oscillators. Since the inception of microresonator-based nonlinear optics, related studies have focused primarily on regimes in which photons with distinct resonant modes can interact. Although multiple comb lines can occupy a single resonance during the Kerr comb formation process, their mutual interactions have remained largely unexplored. Here we demonstrate a Kerr comb formation that is confined to a single resonance of a microresonator via dual-pumping. MHz-scale comb-line spacing reveals previously unobserved Kerr-comb dynamics, featuring parametrically driven phase multistability that can be observed directly in the temporal domain. Two laser pumps serve as phase-coupled references for heterodyne read-out, simplifying the measurements.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Stokes microcombs in silicon nitride microresonators

Silicon nitride microresonators have become an ubiquitous platform for cutting-edge photonics applications. Improvement in silicon nitride fabrication techniques, providing ultra-high quality-factor values up to $10^7$, has opened up new possibilities for nonlinear effects realizations in such structures. Here we report for the first time to our knowledge on the observation of the Stokes microcombs in silicon nitride on-chip microresonators exhibiting normal group velocity dispersion. Moreover, using different pump schemes, namely, a tunable laser with an isolator and a stabilized diode laser, we demonstrate on-chip stimulated Raman frequency combs including dark-pulse Raman states. We reveal a complex interplay between Kerr and Raman nonlinearities and elaborate effective method of controllable switching between predominantly Kerr-comb and predominantly Raman-comb operation. We prove the Raman-induced platicon formation by numerical model which shows perfect agreement with experimental results. These findings are of special importance for silicon nitride photonics and provide a basis for novel photonic devices.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Optimization of the degenerate optical parametric oscillations threshold in bichromatically pumped microresonator

Integrated microring resonators have a broad range of applications in diverse fields with the potential to design compact, robust, energy-efficient devices crucial for quantum applications. Degenerate optical parametric oscillations (DOPOs) realized in dual-pumped microring resonator with third-order optical nonlinearity are of special interest. They demonstrate both bistability of the phase of the excited signal mode and generation of nonclassical light, which can be used for coherent photonic computing. Using coupled mode equations, we perform a comprehensive numerical analysis of DOPO conditions with normal group velocity dispersion and with bichromatic pumping. Through analytical and numerical approaches, we identify optimal setup parameter values that minimize the threshold power, highlighting the importance of considering the full spectrum of mode interactions. Additionally, we show that dispersion engineering, achievable in photonic molecules or photonic crystal microresonators, may provide a targeted frequency shift of specific microresonator modes resulting in pump power threshold reduction.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Microring resonator as a Rayleigh mirror for broadband laser-cavity comb generation

High-quality microring resonators (MRRs) have proven to be promising sources of optical combs generated from continuous-wave radiation. In addition to the primary comb that propagates along with the pump, Rayleigh scattering creates a comb that travels in the opposite direction. Normally, the scattering is a very weak, however, in the high-quality-factor MRR the power transferred to the backward-propagating comb can be quite significant. We demonstrate that the backward-propagating comb can be used as a feedback source for a fiber laser, effectively creating a nonlinear mirror for the laser cavity. By assembling a simple laser cavity comprising only active fiber and two mirrors, one of which is an integrated MRR, we show a robust self-starting comb generation with width exceeding 500 nm. We confirm the universal character of this approach for other types of microresonators, including whispering gallery mode resonators, by launching self-starting laser cavity combs with the crystalline toroidal cavity, coupled with a tapered fiber. This method provides significant simplification for the filter-driven laser cavity soliton generation, especially when free-space coupling is applied.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Universal Kerr-thermal dynamics of self-injection-locked microresonator dark pulses

Microcombs, formed in optical microresonators driven by continuous-wave lasers, are miniaturized optical frequency combs. Leveraging integrated photonics and laser self-injection locking (SIL), compact microcombs can be constructed via hybrid integration of a semiconductor laser with a chip-based microresonator. While the current linear SIL theory has successfully addressed the linear coupling between the laser cavity and the external microresonator, it fails to describe the complicated nonlinear processes, especially for dark-pulse microcomb formation. Here, we investigate -- theoretically, numerically and experimentally -- the Kerr-thermal dynamics of a semiconductor laser self-injection-locked to an integrated silicon nitride microresonator. We unveil intriguing yet universal dark-pulse formation and switching behaviour with discrete steps, and establish a theoretical model scrutinizing the synergy of laser-microresonator mutual coupling, Kerr nonlinearity and photo-thermal effect. Numerical simulation confirms the experimental result and identifies the origins. Exploiting this unique phenomenon, we showcase an application on low-noise photonic microwave generation with phase noise purified by 23.5 dB. Our study not only adds critical insight of pulse formation in laser-microresonator hybrid systems, but also enables all-passive, photonic-chip-based microwave oscillators with high spectral purity.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

Fragmentation of Stability Domains of Dark Solitons and Dark Breathers and Drifting Solitons at High Pump Intensities in Normal Dispersion Kerr Microresonators

Stability domains (i.e. pump frequency detuning range) of a single dark soliton (or platicon) and dark breather in high-Q Kerr optical microresonators with normal group velocity dispersion is studied for a wide range of pump amplitudes within the framework of the Lugiato-Lefever model. The effect of the significant fragmentation of the stability domains at high pump intensities is revealed. The existence of stable drifting dark solitons (platicons) is demonstrated above the threshold pump amplitude value. Properties of drifting solitons are investigated.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Recent Advances in Laser Self-Injection Locking to High-$Q$ Microresonators

The stabilization and manipulation of laser frequency by means of an external cavity are nearly ubiquitously used in fundamental research and laser applications. While most of the laser light transmits through the cavity, in the presence of some back-scattered light from the cavity to the laser, the self-injection locking effect can take place, which locks the laser emission frequency to the cavity mode of similar frequency. The self-injection locking leads to dramatic reduction of laser linewidth and noise. Using this approach, a common semiconductor laser locked to an ultrahigh-$Q$ microresonator can obtain sub-hertz linewidth, on par with state-of-the-art fiber lasers. Therefore it paves the way to manufacture high-performance semiconductor lasers with reduced footprint and cost. Moreover, with high laser power, the optical nonlinearity of the microresonator drastically changes the laser dynamics, offering routes for simultaneous pulse and frequency comb generation in the same microresonator. Particularly, integrated photonics technology, enabling components fabricated via semiconductor CMOS process, has brought increasing and extending interest to laser manufacturing using this method. In this article, we present a comprehensive tutorial on analytical and numerical methods of laser self-injection locking, as well a review of most recent theoretical and experimental achievements.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Optimization of laser stabilization via self-injection locking to a whispering-gallery-mode microresonator: experimental study

Self-injection locking of a diode laser to a high-quality-factor microresonator is widely used for frequency stabilization and linewidth narrowing. We constructed several microresonator-based laser sources with measured instantaneous linewidths of 1 Hz and used them for investigation and implementation of the self-injection locking effect. We studied analytically and experimentally the dependence of the stabilization coefficient on tunable parameters such as locking phase and coupling rate. It was shown that precise control of the locking phase allows fine tuning of the generated frequency from the stabilized laser diode. We also showed that it is possible for such laser sources to realize fast continuous and linear frequency modulation by injection current tuning inside the self-injection locking regime. We conceptually demonstrate coherent frequency-modulated continuous wave LIDAR over a distance of 10 km using such a microresonator-stabilized laser diode in the frequency-chirping regime and measure velocities as low as sub-micrometer per second in the unmodulated case. These results could be of interest for cutting-edge technology applications such as space debris monitoring and long-range object classification, high resolution spectroscopy and others.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Platicon Stability in Hot Cavities

The stability of platicons in hot cavities with normal group velocity at the interplay of Kerr and thermal nonlinearities was addressed numerically. The stability analysis was performed for different ranges of pump amplitude, thermal nonlinearity coefficient and thermal relaxation time. It was revealed that for the positive thermal effect, the high-energy wide platicons are stable, while the negative thermal coefficient provides the stability of narrow platicons.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Ultra high-Q WGM microspheres from ZBLAN for the mid-IR band

The advantages of high-quality-factor whispering gallery mode microresonators can be applied to develop novel photonic devices for the mid-IR range. ZBLAN (glass based on heavy metal fluorides) is one of the most promising materials to be used for this purpose due to low optical losses in the mid-IR. We developed original fabrication method based on melting of commercially available ZBLAN-based optical fiber to produce high-Q ZBLAN microspheres with the diameters of 250 to 350 $μ$m. We effectively excited whispering gallery modes in these microspheres and demonstrated high quality factor both at 1.55 $μ$m and 2.64 $μ$m. Intrinsic quality factor at telecom wavelength was shown $(5.4\pm0.4)\cdot10^8$ which is defined by the material losses in ZBLAN. In the mid-IR at 2.64 $μ$m we demonstrated record quality factor in ZBLAN exceeding $10^8$ which is comparable to the highest values of the Q-factor among all materials in the mid-IR.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Dual-laser self-injection locking to an integrated microresonator

Diode laser self-injection locking (SIL) to a whispering gallery mode of a high quality factor resonator is a widely used method for laser linewidth narrowing and high-frequency noise suppression. SIL has already been used for the demonstration of ultra-low-noise photonic microwave oscillators and soliton microcomb generation and has a wide range of possible applications. Up to date, SIL was demonstrated only with a single laser. However, multi-frequency and narrow-linewidth laser sources are in high demand for modern telecommunication systems, quantum technologies, and microwave photonics. Here we experimentally demonstrate the dual-laser SIL of two multifrequency laser diodes to different modes of an integrated Si$_3$N$_4$ microresonator. Simultaneous spectrum collapse of both lasers, as well as linewidth narrowing and high-frequency noise suppression , as well as strong nonlinear interaction of the two fields with each other, are observed. Locking both lasers to the same mode results in a simultaneous frequency and phase stabilization and coherent addition of their outputs. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive dual-SIL theory and investigate the influence of lasers on each other caused by nonlinear effects in the microresonator.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2021

A hybrid integrated dual-microcomb source

Dual-comb interferometry is based on self-heterodyning two optical frequency combs, with corresponding mapping of the optical spectrum into the radio-frequency domain. The dual-comb enables diverse applications, including metrology, fast high-precision spectroscopy with high signal-to-noise ratio, distance ranging, and coherent optical communications. However, current dual-frequency-comb systems are designed for research applications and typically rely on scientific equipment and bulky mode-locked lasers. Here we demonstrate for the first time a fully integrated power-efficient dual-microcomb source that is electrically driven and allows turnkey operation. Our implementation uses commercially available components, including distributed-feedback and Fabry--Perot laser diodes, and silicon nitride photonic circuits with microresonators fabricated in commercial multi-project wafer runs. Our devices are therefore unique in terms of size, weight, power consumption, and cost. Laser-diode self-injection locking relaxes the requirements on microresonator spectral purity and Q-factor, so that we can generate soliton microcombs resilient to thermal frequency drift and with pump-to-comb sideband efficiency of up to 40\% at mW power levels. We demonstrate down-conversion of the optical spectrum from 1400 nm to 1700 nm into the radio-frequency domain, which is valuable for fast wide-band Fourier spectroscopy, which was previously not available with chip-scale devices. Our findings pave the way for further integration of miniature microcomb-based sensors and devices for high-volume applications, thus opening up the prospect of innovative products that redefine the market of industrial and consumer mobile and wearable devices and sensors.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2021

Self-injection locking of the gain-switched laser diode

We experimentally observed self-injection locking regime of the gain-switched laser to high-Q optical microresonator. We revealed that comb generated by the gain-switched laser experiences a dramatic reduce of comb teeth linewidths in this regime. We demonstrated the Lorentzian linewidth of the comb teeth of sub-kHz scale as narrow as for non-switched self-injection locked laser. Such setup allows generation of high-contrast electrically-tunable optical frequency combs with tunable comb line spacing in a wide range from 10 kHz up to 10 GHz. The characteristics of the generated combs were studied for various modulation parameters - modulation frequency and amplitude, and for parameters, defining the efficiency of the self-injection locking - locking phase, coupling efficiency, pump frequency detuning.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2021

Numerical study of solitonic pulse generation in the self-injection locking regime at normal and anomalous group velocity dispersion

We developed an original model describing the process of the frequency comb generation in the self-injection locking regime and performed numerical simulation of this process.Generation of the dissipative Kerr solitons in the self-injection locking regime at anomalous group velocity dispersion was studied numerically. Different regimes of the soliton excitation depending on the locking phase, backscattering parameter and pump power were identified. It was also proposed and confirmed numerically that self-injection locking may provide an easy way for the generation of the frequency combs at normal group velocity dispersion. Generation of platicons was demonstrated and studied in detail. The parameter range providing platicon excitation was found.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2021

Thermally Induced Generation of Platicons in Optical Microresonators

We demonstrate numerically novel mechanism providing generation of the flat-top solitonic pulses, platicons, in optical microresonators at normal GVD via negative thermal effects. We found that platicon excitation is possible if the ratio of the photon lifetime to the thermal relaxation time is large enough. We show that there are two regimes of the platicon generation depending on the pump amplitude: the smooth one and the oscillatory one. Parameter ranges providing platicon excitation are found and analysed for different values of the thermal relaxation time, frequency-scan rate and GVD coefficient. Possibility of the turn-key generation regime is also shown.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Dynamics of soliton self-injection locking in a photonic chip-based microresonator

Soliton microcombs constitute chip-scale optical frequency combs, and have the potential to impact a myriad of applications from frequency synthesis and telecommunications to astronomy. The requirement on external driving lasers has been significantly relaxed with the demonstration of soliton formation via self-injection locking of the pump laser to the microresonator. Yet to date, the dynamics of this process has not been fully understood. Prior models of self-injection locking were not able to explain sufficiently large detunings, crucial for soliton formation. Here we develop a theoretical model of self-injection locking to a nonlinear microresonator (nonlinear self-injection locking) for the first time and show that self- and cross-phase modulation of the clockwise and counter-clockwise light enables soliton formation. Using an integrated soliton microcomb of directly detectable 30 GHz repetition rate, consisting of a DFB laser self-injection-locked to a Si3N4 microresonator chip, we study the soliton formation dynamics via self-injection locking, as well as the repetition rate evolution, experimentally. We reveal that Kerr nonlinearity in microresonator significantly modifies locking dynamics, making laser emission frequency red detuned. We propose and implement a novel technique for measurements of the nonlinear frequency tuning curve and concurrent observation of microcomb states switching in real time.

physics.optics↗