IEM Distinguished Lecturers Seminar: Self-emergence of laser cavity solitons in microcombs: the role of slow nonlinearity
Event details
| Date | 17.11.2023 |
| Hour | 13:15 › 14:00 |
| Speaker |
Alessia Pasquazi, Emergent Photonics Research Centre, Dept. of Physics, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK |
| Location | Online |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
| Event Language | English |
The seminar will take place in ELA 2 and will be simultaneously broadcasted in Neuchâtel Campus (MC A1 272).
Coffee and cookies will be served at 13:00 before the seminar, in front of the two auditoriums.
Abstract
Optical frequency combs in microresonators, often termed 'microcombs', are optical sources made up of a series of equally spaced frequency lines. These lines are typically produced in nonlinear microcavities due to Kerr nonlinearity. The discovery of dissipative temporal cavity solitons marked a significant breakthrough in the field. This allowed for the generation of a broad, smooth spectrum especially suited for metrological comb applications.
We demonstrated the ability to generate localized pulses when a micro-cavity is integrated within a fibre laser loop [1]. This led to our observation of laser cavity-solitons. By combining the attributes of micro-resonators and multi-mode systems, our scheme introduces an approach for the creation, stabilization, and control of solitary optical pulses in micro-cavities.
Within this context, it is crucial to highlight the primary physical characteristics of these wave types. This includes their energy efficiency and dynamic properties, both of which are essential for initiating and restoring the system. Additionally, we have recently shown that these waves can emerge spontaneously and recover with resilience [2], also when interacting with other states in the system [3].
In this seminar, I will present the core mechanism that turns laser cavity solitons into the dominant attractors of a microcomb system. This system is designed around a Kerr microresonator situated within an amplifying cavity. Specifically, I will discuss the impact of the system slow nonlinearities and how they facilitate the stable emergence of solitary waves. Furthermore, I will outline the mathematical modelling employed to depict our experimental findings.
References
[1] H. Bao, et al. Laser Cavity-Soliton Microcombs. Nat. Photonics 13, 384 (2019).
[2] M. Rowley, et al. Self-emergence of robust solitons in a microcavity. Nature 608, 303–309 (2022).
[3] A. Cutrona, et al. Nonlocal bonding of a soliton and a blue-detuned state in a microcomb laser. Commun Phys 6, 259 (2023).
Biography
Prof. Alessia Pasquazi earned her PhD in Engineering from the University of Roma Tre in 2009. She was a MELS fellow in Quebec, Canada from 2010 to 2011 and an EU Marie-Curie Fellow between 2013 and 2015. Additionally, she was an Ernest Rutherford Fellow from 2018 to 2022 and was recognized as an ERC Starting Grant Laureate for the period 2020 to 2024. Prof. Pasquazi's expertise lies in the domain of nonlinear photonics and microcombs.
Specializing in nonlinear photonics and microcombs, Prof. Pasquazi has been at the forefront of advancing ultrafast integrated optics. She led research in ultrafast integrated optics at the EPic Lab at the University of Sussex from 2014 to 2022. Currently, she is at Loughborough University where she directs the Emergent Photonics Research Centre. Prof. Pasquazi actively contributes to the academic community, serving as a member and chair of panels for numerous conferences organized by SPIE, OPTICA, and IEEE societies. In particular, she served as the program chair for the OSA 'Nonlinear Photonics Conference' in 2018 and was the general chair for the same conference in 2020.
Coffee and cookies will be served at 13:00 before the seminar, in front of the two auditoriums.
Abstract
Optical frequency combs in microresonators, often termed 'microcombs', are optical sources made up of a series of equally spaced frequency lines. These lines are typically produced in nonlinear microcavities due to Kerr nonlinearity. The discovery of dissipative temporal cavity solitons marked a significant breakthrough in the field. This allowed for the generation of a broad, smooth spectrum especially suited for metrological comb applications.
We demonstrated the ability to generate localized pulses when a micro-cavity is integrated within a fibre laser loop [1]. This led to our observation of laser cavity-solitons. By combining the attributes of micro-resonators and multi-mode systems, our scheme introduces an approach for the creation, stabilization, and control of solitary optical pulses in micro-cavities.
Within this context, it is crucial to highlight the primary physical characteristics of these wave types. This includes their energy efficiency and dynamic properties, both of which are essential for initiating and restoring the system. Additionally, we have recently shown that these waves can emerge spontaneously and recover with resilience [2], also when interacting with other states in the system [3].
In this seminar, I will present the core mechanism that turns laser cavity solitons into the dominant attractors of a microcomb system. This system is designed around a Kerr microresonator situated within an amplifying cavity. Specifically, I will discuss the impact of the system slow nonlinearities and how they facilitate the stable emergence of solitary waves. Furthermore, I will outline the mathematical modelling employed to depict our experimental findings.
References
[1] H. Bao, et al. Laser Cavity-Soliton Microcombs. Nat. Photonics 13, 384 (2019).
[2] M. Rowley, et al. Self-emergence of robust solitons in a microcavity. Nature 608, 303–309 (2022).
[3] A. Cutrona, et al. Nonlocal bonding of a soliton and a blue-detuned state in a microcomb laser. Commun Phys 6, 259 (2023).
Biography
Prof. Alessia Pasquazi earned her PhD in Engineering from the University of Roma Tre in 2009. She was a MELS fellow in Quebec, Canada from 2010 to 2011 and an EU Marie-Curie Fellow between 2013 and 2015. Additionally, she was an Ernest Rutherford Fellow from 2018 to 2022 and was recognized as an ERC Starting Grant Laureate for the period 2020 to 2024. Prof. Pasquazi's expertise lies in the domain of nonlinear photonics and microcombs.
Specializing in nonlinear photonics and microcombs, Prof. Pasquazi has been at the forefront of advancing ultrafast integrated optics. She led research in ultrafast integrated optics at the EPic Lab at the University of Sussex from 2014 to 2022. Currently, she is at Loughborough University where she directs the Emergent Photonics Research Centre. Prof. Pasquazi actively contributes to the academic community, serving as a member and chair of panels for numerous conferences organized by SPIE, OPTICA, and IEEE societies. In particular, she served as the program chair for the OSA 'Nonlinear Photonics Conference' in 2018 and was the general chair for the same conference in 2020.
Practical information
- General public
- Free