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Widely Tunable Soliton Microcomb Chip

Project description

Highly tuneable soliton microcomb chips for next-generation applications

Optical frequency combs – named for their comb-like pattern of equally spaced coherent light frequencies – serve as precise rulers for electromagnetic frequencies. Since their development a few decades ago to support the world’s most precise atomic clocks, newer more compact microcombs have been developed. Dissipative Kerr soliton (DKS) microcombs are self-organised optical frequency combs generated in non-linear microresonators by continuous-wave pump lasers. Despite their promising characteristics as an alternative, DKS microcombs have limited tunability and sensitivity as well as poor conversion efficiency. The ERC-funded ELASTIC project aims to overcome these challenges with the ultra-efficient nonlinear AlGaAson-insulator platform and its high thermo-optic coefficient and nonlinearity together with a novel pump scheme.

Objective

The generation of optical frequency combs through nonlinear optical processes is an enabling technology for a wide range of applications. These combs, consisting of equally spaced coherent light frequencies, are highly valued in applications such as communications, LiDAR, and microwave photonics. The first generation of combs, developed using mode-locked lasers, expanded their spectrum through nonlinear media to create broadband frequency combs. Initially, these systems relied on bulky free-space optical components. Efforts to reduce the size, weight, and power (SWaP) of these systems led to the development of microcomb technology. Dissipative Kerr soliton (DKS) microcombsgenerated via nonlinear optical processes in microresonatorshave emerged as a more compact, scalable, chip-based alternative, offering higher repetition rates, lower power consumption, and simplified broadband spectrum generation and attracting significant market interest. Despite their advantages, DKS microcombs face several bottlenecks, including limited tunability, sensitivity, and poor conversion efficiency. The ELASTIC project aims to address these issues by leveraging the high thermo-optic coefficient and nonlinearity of the AlGaAsOI platform combined with a novel pump scheme. This approach will enable low-power, highly tunable, and insensitive chip-scale comb systems for emerging applications like massively parallel frequency-modulated continuous-wave LiDAR and wavelength-division multiplexing systems.

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Topic(s)

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HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) ERC-2024-POC

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Host institution

DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET
Net EU contribution

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€ 150 000,00
Address
ANKER ENGELUNDS VEJ 101
2800 KONGENS LYNGBY
Denmark

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Region
Danmark Hovedstaden Københavns omegn
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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Beneficiaries (1)

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