David Castelló-Lurbe

Comparative analysis of spectral coherence in microresonator frequency combs

Microresonator combs exploit parametric oscillation and nonlinear mixing in an ultrahigh-Q cavity. This new comb generator offers unique potential for chip integration and access to high repetition rates. However, time-domain studies reveal an intricate spectral coherence behavior in this type of platform. In particular, coherent, partially coherent or incoherent combs have been observed using the same microresonator under different pumping conditions. In this work, we provide a numerical analysis of the coherence dynamics that supports the above experimental findings and verify particular design rules to achieve spectrally coherent microresonator combs. A particular emphasis is placed in understanding the differences between so-called Type I and Type II combs.

Inverse dispersion engineering in silicon waveguides

We present a numerical tool that searches an optimal cross section geometry of silicon-on-insulator waveguides given a target dispersion profile. The approach is a gradient-based multidimensional method whose efficiency resides on the simultaneous calculation of the propagation constant derivatives with respect to all geometrical parameters of the structure by using the waveguide mode distribution. The algorithm is compatible with regular mode solvers. As an illustrative example, using a silicon slot hybrid waveguide with 4 independent degrees of freedom, our approach finds ultra-flattened (either normal or anomalous) dispersion over 350 nm bandwidth in less than 10 iterations.

Spectral broadening enhancement in silicon waveguides through pulse shaping

Spectral broadening in silicon waveguides is usually inhibited at telecom wavelengths due to some adverse effects related to semiconductor dynamics, namely, two-photon and free-carrier absorption (FCA). In this Letter, our numerical simulations show that it is possible to achieve a significant enhancement in spectral broadening when we properly preshape the input pulse to reduce the impact of FCA on spectral broadening. Our analysis suggests that the use of input pulses with the correct skewness and power level is crucial for this achievement.

Dispersion-to-spectrum mapping in nonlinear fibers based on optical wave-breaking.

In this work we recognize new strategies involving optical wave-breaking for controlling the output pulse spectrum in nonlinear fibers. To this end, first we obtain a constant of motion for nonlinear pulse propagation in waveguides derived from the generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation. In a second phase, using the above conservation law we theoretically analyze how to transfer in a simple manner the group-velocity-dispersion curve of the waveguide to the output spectral profile of pulsed light. Finally, the computation of several output spectra corroborates our proposition.

Triply resonant coherent four-wave mixing in silicon nitride microresonators

Generation of multiple tones using four-wave mixing (FWM) has been exploited for many applications, ranging from wavelength conversion to frequency comb generation. FWM is a coherent process, meaning that its dynamics strongly depend on the relative phase among the waves involved. The coherent nature of FWM has been exploited for phase-sensitive processing in different waveguide structures, but it has never been studied in integrated microresonators. Waveguides arranged in a resonant way allow for an effective increase in the wavelength conversion efficiency (at the expense of a reduction in the operational bandwidth). In this Letter, we show that phase shaping of a three-wave pump provides an extra degree of freedom for controlling the FWM dynamics in microresonators. We present experimental results in single-mode, normal-dispersion high-Q silicon nitride resonators, and numerical calculations of systems operating in the anomalous dispersion regime. Our results indicate that the wavelength conversion efficiency and modulation instability gain in microcavities pumped by multiple waves can be significantly modified with the aid of simple lossless coherent control techniques.

Graphene’s nonlinear-optical physics revealed through exponentially growing self-phase modulation

Graphene is considered a record-performance nonlinear-optical material on the basis of numerous experiments. The observed strong nonlinear response ascribed to the refractive part of graphene’s electronic third-order susceptibility χ(3) cannot, however, be explained using the relatively modest χ(3) value theoretically predicted for the 2D material. Here we solve this long-standing paradox and demonstrate that, rather than χ(3)-based refraction, a complex phenomenon which we call saturable photoexcited-carrier refraction is at the heart of nonlinear-optical interactions in graphene such as self-phase modulation. Saturable photoexcited-carrier refraction is found to enable self-phase modulation of picosecond optical pulses with exponential-like bandwidth growth along graphene-covered waveguides. Our theory allows explanation of these extraordinary experimental results both qualitatively and quantitatively. It also supports the graphene nonlinearities measured in previous self-phase modulation and self-(de)focusing (Z-scan) experiments. This work signifies a paradigm shift in the understanding of 2D-material nonlinearities and finally enables their full exploitation in next-generation nonlinear-optical devices.Graphene enables extraordinary nonlinear-optical refraction, far exceeding predictions based on conventional nonlinear-susceptibility theory. Here, Vermeulen et al. show that rather than the nonlinear susceptibility, a complex saturable refraction process is central to graphene’s unusual behavior.

Unified description of dispersive wave emission in normal and anomalous dispersion regimes

We present a novel theoretical framework where dispersive wave emission in normal and anomalous dispersion is interpreted based on four-wave mixing processes. It is a powerful tool for designing supercontinuum sources along analytical guidelines.

Nonlinear inverse engineering for broadband light generation

A new approach to design waveguides for supercontinuum generation through dispersive wave emission from optical wave-breaking is proposed in this work. In two steps, the spectral broadening is analytically related to the dispersion curve, and the cross-section of a waveguide is optimized in a few iterations to fit such dispersion profile and, consequently, the target output bandwidth. This strategy does not only improve the efficiency of design tasks, but also provides new insights into the underlying nonlinear processes.

Spectral Coherence in Microresonator Combs

We provide a quantitative analysis of the coherence in microresonator frequency combs. We show how to achieve coherent transform-limited pulses on-chip without actively manipulating the pump setting conditions in the course of comb formation.

Supercontinuum generation in silicon waveguides based on optical wave-breaking

We theoretically find the third order dispersion that optimizes the spectral broadening induced by optical wave-breaking. It produces supercontinuum spectra spanning beyond 2=3 of an octave in a silicon waveguide pumping at 1550 nm.