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Stéphane Trebaol

Publications and source records attributed to Stéphane Trebaol.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

Ultranarrow-linewidth self-injection-locked tunable blue GaN DFB laser

In this work, we demonstrate an ultra-narrow linewidth self-injection locked distributed feedback (DFB) diode laser emitting at 452 nm, achieving an intrinsic linewidth of 170 Hz with a fiber output power of 11 mW. The linewidth reduction of the DFB laser is obtained thanks to the coupling with an external cavity based on a fiber Bragg grating (FBG). Experimental results demonstrate excellent agreement with our theoretical modeling of the self-injection dynamics. Furthermore, the tuning capabilities of the system are characterized, with tunability achieved via current modulation, yielding a tuning efficiency of 300 MHz/mA over a continuous mode-hop-free range of 600 MHz. This architecture offers a robust pathway toward an integration within a compact package. Ultimately, such compact, stable, and frequency-tunable visible light sources are key for integrated optical atomic clocks and underwater lidar application.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2026

Experimental Evidence of Thermal Capillary Waves Excitation on a Microsphere Surface

Whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) microsphere resonators have emerged as a versatile platform across various photonic applications. Despite significant progress, their performance at short wavelengths is fundamentally limited by scattering-induced optical losses that restrict achievable quality factors (Q-factor). Although surface roughness has long been recognised as the leading cause of these losses, its physical origin has remained unclear, with current understanding attributing it to unavoidable fabrication imperfections. Here, we show that thermally excited capillary waves are the fundamental source of scattering losses in microsphere cavities. Using high-resolution atomic force microscopy (AFM) combined with rigorous statistical analysis, we quantitatively identify the characteristic signatures of frozen capillary fluctuations at the sub-nanometre level. The experimentally extracted roughness parameters show close agreement with theoretical predictions based on capillary wave theory. These findings fundamentally revise the prevailing interpretation of surface scattering losses and establish thermodynamic fluctuations, rather than fabrication defects, as the limiting roughness mechanism. By identifying frozen capillary waves as the limiting factor, this work opens new pathways for engineering ultra-high-Q microsphere resonators through fabrication management strategies, particularly for visible- and ultraviolet-photonic applications where scattering losses are most severe.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2026

Yellow whispering-gallery-mode lasing from amorphous fluoride microspheres

Compact, low-noise coherent light sources in the visible remain challenging due to limited gain platforms and inefficient pumping. We report a new route to visible microlasing based on direct, one-photon blue pumping and an amorphous fluoride gain material platform. Dysprosium doped fluoride microspheres are fabricated via plasma-torch-induced, pressureless amorphization of single crystals, enabling compositions beyond conventional glass-forming limits while ensuring ultrasmooth morphology, low phonon energy, and homogeneous dopant distribution. We demonstrate the first fiber-coupled whispering-gallery-mode lasing from an amorphous fluoride microsphere in the yellow (573 nm), with an ultralow threshold of $190 μ$W despite spin-forbidden Dy$^{3+}$ transitions. Lasing is evidenced by characteristic light-light curve indicating a low spontaneous emission factor, narrow-linewidth emission, and relaxation oscillations yielding a loaded quality factor of $Q = 3.5 \times 10^6$. This platform is readily extendable to other rare-earth emitters, enabling entire visible spectral coverage beyond the limitations of upconversion pumping, with prospects for color-tunable and white-light emission. Finally, fiber-based amplification of the WGM signal demonstrates a pathway toward compact, fiber-integrated visible microlasers with controllable noise and linewidth.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2025

Yellow stimulated emission from Dy$^{3+}$-doped silica glass microspheres

Dy$^{3+}$-doped silica glass whispering gallery mode microspheres are fabricated by fiber fusion splicing. They present an almost ideal spherical morphology with a radius ranging from 60 to 67 $μ$m as determined by confocal laser microscopy. The host composition of the microsphere is close to that of the fiber core. The dopant Dy$^{3+}$ ions are uniformly distributed across the microsphere as evidenced by $μ$-luminescence studies and present a luminescence lifetime. The Dy$^{3+}$-doped glass microspheres were excited via evanescent field coupling using a half-tapered fiber and a blue 450-nm GaN laser diode (direct pumping scheme). The yellow fluorescence of Dy$^{3+}$ ions is filtered by the whispering gallery modes (free spectral range: 0.5 nm for 67-$μ$m radius microsphere). The onset of stimulated emission is further observed highlighting the potential of such microresonators for narrow-linewidth light sources directly emitting visible light.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2022

High-Q Whispering-Gallery-Modes Microresonators in the Near-Ultraviolet Spectral Range

High-$Q$ whispering gallery mode microresonators are cornerstones to develop compact coherent sources like single frequency lasers or frequency combs. This work reports a detailed characterization of a whispering gallery mode microsphere in the near ultraviolet. Light coupling in the resonator is obtain thanks to a robust angle-polished fiber allowing to investigate the different coupling regimes. An intrinsic $Q_0$-factor of $2.2 \times 10^8$ and a finesse of $7.3 \times 10^4$ are reported at a wavelength of 420 nm. Physical mechanisms contributing to the $Q_0$-factor are discussed and routes to improve the performances are drawn. Such high-$Q$ factor and high finesse are key ingredients to ease the study of photonic devices based on WGM microresonators.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2021

Narrow Linewidth near-UV InGaN Laser Diode based on External Cavity Fiber Bragg Grating

We realize a fiber Bragg grating InGaN based laser diode emitting at 400 nm and demonstrate its high coherency. Thanks to the fabrication of a narrow band fiber Bragg grating in the near-UV, we can reach single-mode and single-frequency regimes for the self-injection locked diode. The device exhibits 44 dB side-mode-suppression-ratio and mW output power. Detailed frequency noise analysis reveals sub-MHz integrated linewidth and 16 kHz intrinsic linewidth. Such a narrow linewidth laser diode in the near-UV domain with a compact and low-cost design could find applications whenever coherency and interferometric resolutions are needed.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2018

Relative Intensity Noise in a Multi-Stokes Brillouin Laser

We investigate the Relative Intensity Noise (RIN) properties of a multi-Stokes Brillouin fiber ring laser. We experimentally analyse intensity noise of each Stokes waves and study the noise dynamics of the cascaded Brillouin scattering process. We observe up to 20 dB/Hz intensity noise reduction compared to that of the RIN input pump laser. We examine the impact of the fiber ring quality factor on the laser RIN features such as amplitude reduction and relaxation frequency. A numerical model based on a set of coupled-mode equations replicate the experimental observations; confirming the class B like behavior of a multi-Stokes Brillouin laser. Our study enables to determine the optimal parameter values to operate the multi-Stokes laser in the low noise regime.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2015

Dephasing effects on coherent exciton-polaritons and the breaking of the strong coupling regime

Using femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy, we identify excitation induced dephasing as a major mechanism responsible for the breaking of the strong-coupling between excitons and photons in a semiconductor microcavity. The effects of dephasing are observed on the transmitted probe pulse spectrum as a density dependent broadening of the exciton-polariton resonances and the emergence of a third resonance at high excitation density. A striking asymmetry in the energy shift between the upper and the lower polaritons is also evidenced. Using the excitonic Bloch equations, we quantify the respective contributions to the energy shift of many-body effects associated with Fermion exchange and photon assisted exchange processes and the contribution to collisional broadening.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2014

Polaritonic Feshbach Resonance

A Feshbach resonance occurs when the energy of two interacting free particles comes to resonance with a molecular bound state. When approaching this resonance, dramatic changes in the interaction strength between the particles occur. Feshbach resonances have been an essential tool to control the atom interactions, which can even be switched from repulsive to attractive [1-4]. Thanks to Feshbach resonances many effects in ultracold atomic gases could be explored [5, 6]. Here we demonstrate a Feshbach resonance based on polariton spinor interactions that characterize the fundamental interaction process in polariton quantum systems. We show the clear enhancement of attractive interactions and the prompt change to repulsive interaction by tuning the energy of two polaritons with anti-parallel spins across the biexciton bound state energy. A mean field two-channel model quantitatively reproduces the experimental results. This observation paves the way for a new tool to tune the polariton interactions and to move forward into quantum correlated polariton physics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2014

Heterodyne Spectroscopy of Polariton Spinor Interactions

We report on spinor polariton interactions in GaAs based microcavities. This investigation is carried out by means of heterodyne polarized pump-probe spectroscopy. We show the dependence of the energy renormalization of the lower and upper polariton resonances with cavity detuning for different polariton densities. We use the exciton-photon based Gross-Pitaevskii equation to model the experiment for both lower and upper polariton modes. The theoretical results reproduce qualitatively the experimental observations revealing the magnitude and the sign of the parallel and anti-parallel spin interaction strength. We evidence the strong influence of the biexciton resonance on the anti-parallel spin polariton energy shift and provide the exciton-biexciton coupling constant. We derive our results in the lower polariton basis using Gross-Pitaevskii equation from which, we express analytically the spinor polariton interactions and identify the clear role of the biexciton resonance.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2014

Stochastic resonance in collective exciton-polariton excitations inside a GaAs microcavity

We report the first observation of stochastic resonance in confined exciton-polaritons. We evidence this phenomena by tracking the polaritons behavior through two stochastic resonance quantifiers namely the spectral magnification factor and the signal-to-noise ratio. The evolution of the stochastic resonance in function of the modulation amplitude of the periodic excitation signal is studied. Our experimental observations are well reproduced by numerical simulations performed in the framework of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation under stochastic perturbation.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗