In the past two decades, integrated photonics and nonlinear optics have flourished alongside one another. New developments in materials science and fabrication technologies have delivered lower loss photonic platforms and commercial foundries can produce high quality photonic devices in large quantites. These advances in photonics have allowed for new applications of nonlinear optics for quantum technologies, optical sensing and spectroscopy, and optical frequency combs. The challenge remains to integrate the lasers needed for these nonlinear photonic devices onto the same photonic platform and fully realize the size, cost, and power savings promised by photonic integration. In this dissertation we explore new applications of nonlinear optics that can enhance the functionality of integrated lasers.
In the first part of this dissertation, we explore the use of additive pulse modelocking (APM) on an integrated platform for generating a high power, low repetition rate modelocked laser to achieve a fully integrated self-referenced frequency comb. We report on simulations that identify key criteria for APM lasers and compare design alternatives for the gain medium and modelocking element. We also report on the progress of experiments towards buliding an APM using semiconductor gain and the challenges associated with this goal.
In the second part, we present a new theory for laser linewidth reduction called nonlinear self-injection locking and demonstrate it experimentally using a fiber Brillouin oscillator. This technique combines the gain-narrowing effects from asymmetric nonlinear oscillators like a Brillouin oscillator with the frequency stabilization techniques of self-injection locking to reduce a laser’s linewidth below its Schawlow-Townes limit. We also present future applications of this theory that could be realized on a fully integrated photonic platform.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:columbia.edu/oai:academiccommons.columbia.edu:10.7916/nc98-f280 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Bishop, Andrew |
| Source Sets | Columbia University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Theses |
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