Stuttgart 2012 – scientific programme
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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik
Q 23: Photonik 1
Q 23.4: Talk
Tuesday, March 13, 2012, 11:15–11:30, V38.01
Universal Dynamics of Kerr-Frequency Comb Formation in Microresonators — •Tobias Herr1, Klaus Hartinger1,2, Johann Riemensberger1, Christine Wang2,3, Emanuel Gavartin1, Ronald Holzwarth2,3, Michael Gorodetsky4, and Tobias Kippenberg1,3 — 1École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland — 2Menlo Systems GmbH, Am Klopferspitz 19a, 82152 Martinsried, Germany — 3Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, 85748 Garching, Germany — 4Faculty of Physics, Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
Optical frequency combs allow for precise measurement of optical frequencies and are used in a growing number of applications beyond spectroscopy and frequency metrology. A new class of frequency comb sources is based on parametric frequency conversion in optical microresonators via the Kerr nonlinearity. A severe limitation in experiments working towards applicable systems is phase noise, observed in the form of linewidth broadening and multiple radio frequency beat notes. These phenomena are not explained by current theory of Kerr-comb formation, yet this understanding is crucial to maturing Kerr-comb technology. In this work we employ both crystalline MgF2 and planar Si3N4 microresonators to experimentally investigate the origin of broad and multiple RF beatnotes. We reveal a universal platform independent behavior in Kerr-comb generators, based on the interplay of four-wave mixing and dispersion. Finally, we provide a quantitative condition for low phase noise performance.