Juned N. Kemal

Microresonator-based solitons for massively parallel coherent optical communications

Solitons are waveforms that preserve their shape while propagating, as a result of a balance of dispersion and nonlinearity. Soliton-based data transmission schemes were investigated in the 1980s and showed promise as a way of overcoming the limitations imposed by dispersion of optical fibres. However, these approaches were later abandoned in favour of wavelength-division multiplexing schemes, which are easier to implement and offer improved scalability to higher data rates. Here we show that solitons could make a comeback in optical communications, not as a competitor but as a key element of massively parallel wavelength-division multiplexing. Instead of encoding data on the soliton pulse train itself, we use continuous-wave tones of the associated frequency comb as carriers for communication. Dissipative Kerr solitons (DKSs) (solitons that rely on a double balance of parametric gain and cavity loss, as well as dispersion and nonlinearity) are generated as continuously circulating pulses in an integrated silicon nitride microresonator via four-photon interactions mediated by the Kerr nonlinearity, leading to low-noise, spectrally smooth, broadband optical frequency combs. We use two interleaved DKS frequency combs to transmit a data stream of more than 50 terabits per second on 179 individual optical carriers that span the entire telecommunication C and L bands (centred around infrared telecommunication wavelengths of 1.55 micrometres). We also demonstrate coherent detection of a wavelength-division multiplexing data stream by using a pair of DKS frequency combs—one as a multi-wavelength light source at the transmitter and the other as the corresponding local oscillator at the receiver. This approach exploits the scalability of microresonator-based DKS frequency comb sources for massively parallel optical communications at both the transmitter and the receiver. Our results demonstrate the potential of these sources to replace the arrays of continuous-wave lasers that are currently used in high-speed communications. In combination with advanced spatial multiplexing schemes and highly integrated silicon photonic circuits, DKS frequency combs could bring chip-scale petabit-per-second transceivers into reach.

Coherent terabit communications using a quantum-dash mode-locked laser and self-homodyne detection

We transmit 18 GBd 16QAM signals on 25 spectral lines of a quantum-dash mode-locked laser diode, achieving a 1.562 Tbit/s aggregate data rate. Phase noise is cancelled by self-homodyne detection using LO tones transmitted with the signal.

Multi-wavelength coherent transmission using an optical frequency comb as a local oscillator

Steadily increasing data rates of optical interfaces require spectrally efficient coherent transmission using higher-order modulation formats in combination with scalable wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) schemes. At the transmitter, optical frequency combs (OFC) lend themselves to particularly precise multi-wavelength sources for WDM transmission. In this work we demonstrate that these advantages can also be leveraged at the receiver by using an OFC as a highly scalable multi-wavelength local oscillator (LO) for coherent detection. In our experiments, we use a pair of OFC that rely on gain switching of injection-locked semiconductor lasers both for WDM transmission and intradyne reception. We synchronize the center frequency and the free spectral range of the receiver comb to the transmitter, keeping the intradyne frequencies for all data channels below 15 MHz. Using 13 WDM channels, we transmit an aggregate line rate (net data rate) of 1.104 Tbit/s (1.032 Tbit/s) over a 10 km long standard single mode fiber at a spectral efficiency of 5.16 bit/s/Hz. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of coherent WDM transmission using synchronized frequency combs as light source at the transmitter and as multi-wavelength LO at the receiver.

Wireless THz communications using optoelectronic techniques for signal generation and coherent reception

We show coherent wireless transmission at carrier frequencies of 0.25 THz and 0.35 THz, relying exclusively on optoelectronic concepts for RF signal generation and coherent reception. In a proof-of-concept experiment, we demonstrate transmission of a BPSK signal at a symbol rate of 1 GBd.

Parallel multi-wavelength intradyne reception using an optical frequency comb as a local oscillator

We investigate super-channel intradyne reception using an optical frequency comb as local oscillator (LO). We synchronize its center frequency and free spectral range with the corresponding parameters of the transmitter comb to compensate environmental drifts during operation.

Terabit/s communications using chip-scale frequency comb sources

High-speed optical interconnects rely on advanced wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) schemes. However, while photonic-electronic interfaces can be efficiently realized on silicon-on-insulator chips, dense integration of the necessary light sources still represents a major challenge. Chip-scale frequency comb sources present an attractive alternative for providing a multitude of optical carriers for WDM transmission. In this paper, we give an overview of our recent progress towards terabit communications with chip-scale frequency comb sources. In a first set of experiments, we demonstrate frequency comb generation based on silicon-organic hybrid (SOH) electro-optic modulators, enabling line rates up to 1.152 Tbit/s. In a second set of experiments, we use injection locking of a gain-switched laser diode to enerate frequency combs. This approach leads to line rates of more than 2 Tbit/s. A third set of experiments is finally dedicated to using Kerr nonlinearities in integrated nonlinear microcavities for frequency comb generation. We demonstrate coherent communication using Kerr frequency comb sources, thereby achieving line rates up to 1.44 Tbit/s. Our experiments show that frequency comb generation in chip-scale devices represents a viable approach to terabit communications.

Chip-scale frequency comb generators for high-speed communications and optical metrology

Chip-scale frequency comb sources are key elements for a variety of applications, comprising massively parallel optical communications and high-precision optical metrology. In this talk, we give an overview on our recent progress in the area of integrated optical comb generators and of the associated applications. Our experiments cover modulator-based comb sources, injection locking of gain-switched laser diodes, quantum-dash mode-locked lasers, as well as Kerr comb sources based on cavity solitons. We evaluate and compare the performance of these devices as optical sources for massively parallel wavelength division multiplexing at multi-terabit/s data rates, and we report on comb-based approaches for high-precision distance metrology.

Multi-terabit/s transmission using chip-scale frequency comb sources

Chip-scale frequency comb sources are likely to become key elements of future terabit/s optical transceivers. We investigate and demonstrate the viability of different comb generation schemes for transmission at multi-terabit/s data rates.

Silicon-organic hybrid (SOH) devices and their use in comb-based communication systems

Advanced wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) requires both efficient multi-wavelength light sources to generate optical carriers and highly scalable photonic-electronic interfaces to encode data on these carriers. In this paper, we give an overview on our recent progress regarding silicon-organic hybrid (SOH) integration and comb-based WDM transmission.

Frequency combs from InAs/InP quantum dash based mode-locked lasers for multi-terabit/s data transmission

InAs/ InP quantum dash based mode locked lasers are particularly suited for frequency comb generation. Multi-terabit/s data transmission has been achieved using one single chip.