Optical-parametric oscillation in photonic-crystal ring resonators

Abstract

By-design access to laser wavelength, especially with integrated photonics, is critical to advance quantum sensors, such as optical clocks and quantum-information systems, and open opportunities in optical communication. Semiconductor-laser gain provides exemplary efficiency and integration but merely in developed wavelength bands. Alternatively, nonlinear optics requires control of phase matching, but the principle of nonlinear conversion of a pump laser to a designed wavelength is extensible. We report on laser-wavelength access by versatile customization of optical-parametric oscillation (OPO) with a photonic-crystal ring resonator (PhCR). Leveraging the exquisite control of laser propagation provided by a photonic crystal in a traveling-wave ring resonator, we enable OPO generation across a wavelength range of 1234–2093 nm with a 1550-nm pump and 1016–1110 nm with a 1064-nm pump. Moreover, our platform offers pump-to-sideband conversion efficiency of > --> 10 % and negligible additive optical-frequency noise across the output range. From laser design to simulation of nonlinear dynamics, we use a Lugiato–Lefever framework that predicts the system characteristics, including bidirectional OPO generation in the PhCR and conversion efficiency in agreement with our observations. Our experiments introduce broadband lasers by design with PhCR OPOs, providing critical functionalities in integrated photonics.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Oct 20, 2022
Source ID
10.1364/optica.469210

Entities

People

  • David R Carlson
  • Grant Brodnik
  • Haixin Liu
  • Jennifer A. Black
  • Jizhao Zang
  • Scott B. Papp
  • Su-Peng Yu
  • Travis C. Briles

Organizations

  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
  • Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
  • National Institute of Standards and Technology
  • National Science Foundation
  • University of Colorado

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Nanocomposite Materials Science
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Microelectronics
  • Quantum Computing