Unified laser stabilization and isolation on a silicon chip | Nature Photonics

Nature Photonics (2024)Cite this article Metrics details Rapid progress in photonics has led to an explosion of integrated devices that promise to deliver the same performance as table-top technology

Nature Photonics (2024)Cite this article

Metrics details

Rapid progress in photonics has led to an explosion of integrated devices that promise to deliver the same performance as table-top technology at the nanoscale, heralding the next generation of optical communications, sensing and metrology, and quantum technologies. However, the challenge of co-integrating the multiple components of high-performance laser systems has left application of these nanoscale devices thwarted by bulky laser sources that are orders of magnitude larger than the devices themselves. Here we show that the two main components for high-performance lasers—noise reduction and isolation—can be sourced simultaneously from a single, passive, CMOS-compatible nanophotonic device, eliminating the need to combine incompatible technologies. To realize this, we take advantage of both the long photon lifetime and the non-reciprocal Kerr nonlinearity of a high-quality-factor silicon nitride ring resonator to self-injection lock a semiconductor laser chip while also providing isolation. We also identify a previously unappreciated power regime limitation of current on-chip laser architectures, which our system overcomes. Using our device, which we term a unified laser stabilizer, we demonstrate an on-chip integrated laser system with built-in isolation and noise reduction that operates with turnkey reliability. This approach departs from efforts to directly miniaturize and integrate traditional laser system components and serves to bridge the gap to fully integrated optical technologies.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

$29.99 / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 12 print issues and online access

$209.00 per year

only $17.42 per issue

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

All data are available from the corresponding authors on reasonable request.

Kikuchi, K. Fundamentals of coherent optical fiber communications. J. Lightwave Technol. 34, 157–179 (2015).

Google Scholar

McGrew, W. et al. Atomic clock performance enabling geodesy below the centimetre level. Nature 564, 87–90 (2018).

Article Google Scholar

Daley, A. J. et al. Practical quantum advantage in quantum simulation. Nature 607, 667–676 (2022).

Article Google Scholar

Yang, K. Y. et al. Multi-dimensional data transmission using inverse-designed silicon photonics and microcombs. Nat. Commun. 13, 7862 (2022).

Article ADS Google Scholar

Rizzo, A. et al. Massively scalable Kerr comb-driven silicon photonic link. Nat. Photon. 17, 781–790 (2023).

Article Google Scholar

Feldmann, J. et al. Parallel convolutional processing using an integrated photonic tensor core. Nature 589, 52–58 (2021).

Article Google Scholar

Ashtiani, F., Geers, A. J. & Aflatouni, F. An on-chip photonic deep neural network for image classification. Nature 606, 501–506 (2022).

Article Google Scholar

Pai, S. et al. Experimentally realized in situ backpropagation for deep learning in photonic neural networks. Science 380, 398–404 (2023).

Article Google Scholar

Trocha, P. et al. Ultrafast optical ranging using microresonator soliton frequency combs. Science 359, 887–891 (2018).

Article Google Scholar

Rogers, C. et al. A universal 3D imaging sensor on a silicon photonics platform. Nature 590, 256–261 (2021).

Article Google Scholar

Li, B., Lin, Q. & Li, M. Frequency–angular resolving lidar using chip-scale acousto-optic beam steering. Nature 620, 316–322 (2023).

Article Google Scholar

Wang, J., Sciarrino, F., Laing, A. & Thompson, M. G. Integrated photonic quantum technologies. Nat. Photon. 14, 273–284 (2020).

Article Google Scholar

Madsen, L. S. et al. Quantum computational advantage with a programmable photonic processor. Nature 606, 75–81 (2022).

Article Google Scholar

Zheng, Y. et al. Multichip multidimensional quantum networks with entanglement retrievability. Science 381, 221–226 (2023).

Article Google Scholar

Zhou, Z. et al. Prospects and applications of on-chip lasers. eLight 3, 1 (2023).

Article Google Scholar

Liu, A. Y., Komljenovic, T., Davenport, M. L., Gossard, A. C. & Bowers, J. E. Reflection sensitivity of 1.3 μm quantum dot lasers epitaxially grown on silicon. Opt. Express 25, 9535 (2017).

Article ADS Google Scholar

Dong, B. et al. Dynamic performance and reflection sensitivity of quantum dot distributed feedback lasers with large optical mismatch. Photon. Res. 9, 1550 (2021).

Article Google Scholar

Matsui, Y. et al. Low-chirp isolator-free 65-GHz-bandwidth directly modulated lasers. Nat. Photon. 15, 59–63 (2021).

Article Google Scholar

Tkach, R. & Chraplyvy, A. Regimes of feedback effects in 1.5-μm distributed feedback lasers. J. Lightwave Technol. 4, 1655–1661 (1986).

Article Google Scholar

Jin, W. et al. Hertz-linewidth semiconductor lasers using CMOS-ready ultra-high-Q microresonators. Nat. Photon. 15, 346–353 (2021).

Google Scholar

Guo, J. et al. Chip-based laser with 1-hertz integrated linewidth. Sci. Adv. 8, eabp9006 (2022).

Article Google Scholar

Herrmann, J. F. et al. Mirror symmetric on-chip frequency circulation of light. Nat. Photon. 16, 603–608 (2022).

Article Google Scholar

Yu, M. et al. Integrated electro-optic isolator on thin-film lithium niobate. Nat. Photon. 17, 666–671 (2023).

Article ADS Google Scholar

Tian, H. et al. Magnetic-free silicon nitride integrated optical isolator. Nat. Photon. 15, 828–836 (2021).

Article Google Scholar

Del Bino, L., Silver, J. M., Stebbings, S. L. & Del’Haye, P. Symmetry breaking of counter-propagating light in a nonlinear resonator. Sci. Rep. 7, 43142 (2017).

Article ADS Google Scholar

Del Bino, L. et al. Microresonator isolators and circulators based on the intrinsic nonreciprocity of the Kerr effect. Optica 5, 279–282 (2018).

Google Scholar

White, A. D. et al. Integrated passive nonlinear optical isolators. Nat. Photon. 17, 143–149 (2023).

Article Google Scholar

Schawlow, A. L. & Townes, C. H. Infrared and optical masers. Phys. Rev. 112, 1940 (1958).

Article ADS Google Scholar

Li, B. et al. Reaching fiber-laser coherence in integrated photonics. Opt. Lett. 46, 5201–5204 (2021).

Article Google Scholar

Xiang, C. et al. High-performance lasers for fully integrated silicon nitride photonics. Nat. Commun. 12, 6650 (2021).

Article ADS Google Scholar

Voloshin, A. S. et al. Dynamics of soliton self-injection locking in optical microresonators. Nat. Commun. 12, 235 (2021).

Article ADS Google Scholar

Lihachev, G. et al. Platicon microcomb generation using laser self-injection locking. Nat. Commun. 13, 1771 (2022).

Article ADS Google Scholar

Xiang, C. et al. 3D integration enables ultralow-noise isolator-free lasers in silicon photonics. Nature 620, 78–85 (2023).

Article Google Scholar

Shim, E. et al. Tunable single-mode chip-scale mid-infrared laser. Commun. Phys. 4, 268 (2021).

Article Google Scholar

Corato-Zanarella, M. et al. Widely tunable and narrow-linewidth chip-scale lasers from near-ultraviolet to near-infrared wavelengths. Nat. Photon. 17, 157 (2023).

Article ADS Google Scholar

Lihachev, G. et al. Low-noise frequency-agile photonic integrated lasers for coherent ranging. Nat. Commun. 13, 3522 (2022).

Article ADS Google Scholar

Snigirev, V. et al. Ultrafast tunable lasers using lithium niobate integrated photonics. Nature 615, 411–417 (2023).

Article Google Scholar

Li, B. et al. High-coherence hybrid-integrated 780 nm source by self-injection-locked second-harmonic generation in a high-Q silicon-nitride resonator. Optica 10, 1241 (2023).

Article ADS Google Scholar

Ling, J. et al. Self-injection locked frequency conversion laser. Laser Photon. Rev. 17, 2200663 (2023).

Article ADS Google Scholar

Clementi, M. et al. A chip-scale second-harmonic source via self-injection-locked all-optical poling. Light Sci. Appl. 12, 296 (2023).

Article ADS Google Scholar

Kondratiev, N. et al. Self-injection locking of a laser diode to a high-Q WGM microresonator. Opt. Express 25, 28167 (2017).

Article ADS Google Scholar

Liu, J. et al. High-yield, wafer-scale fabrication of ultralow-loss, dispersion-engineered silicon nitride photonic circuits. Nat. Commun. 12, 2236 (2021).

Article ADS Google Scholar

Yuan, Z. et al. Correlated self-heterodyne method for ultra-low-noise laser linewidth measurements. Opt. Express 30, 25147–25161 (2022).

Article Google Scholar

Shen, B. et al. Integrated turnkey soliton microcombs. Nature 582, 365 (2020).

Article ADS Google Scholar

Kondratiev, N. M. & Gorodetsky, M. L. Thermorefractive noise in whispering gallery mode microresonators: analytical results and numerical simulation. Phys. Lett. A 382, 2265–2268 (2018).

Article Google Scholar

Huang, G. et al. Thermorefractive noise in silicon-nitride microresonators. Phys. Rev. A 99, 061801 (2019).

Article ADS Google Scholar

Download references

A.W. acknowledges the Herb and Jane Dwight Stanford Graduate Fellowship (SGF) and the NTT Research Fellowship. G.H.A. acknowledges support from STMicroelectronics Stanford Graduate Fellowship (SGF) and Kwanjeong Educational Foundation. Authors from Stanford University and UCSB acknowledge funding support from DARPA under the LUMOS programme. Authors from University of Washington acknowledge funding support from NSF under NSF-QII-TAQS-1936100. Part of this work was performed at the Stanford Nano Shared Facilities (SNSF)/Stanford Nanofabrication Facility (SNF), supported by the National Science Foundation under award ECCS-2026822.

These authors contributed equally: Alexander D. White, Geun Ho Ahn.

E. L. Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

Alexander D. White, Geun Ho Ahn, Richard Luhtaru, Kasper Van Gasse & Jelena Vučković

ECE Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA

Joel Guo, Theodore J. Morin, Lin Chang & John E. Bowers

ECE Department, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

Abhi Saxena & Arka Majumdar

You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

A.D.W., G.H.A., and K.V.G. conceived of the project. A.D.W., G.H.A., R.L., and K.V.G. performed the experiments. G.H.A. developed the silicon-nitride fabrication process and fabricated the devices with assistance from A.S. and A.M. J.G., T.J.M., L.C. and J.E.B. provided the semiconductor laser chip and experimental guidance. J.V. supervised the project. All authors contributed to data analysis and writing of the paper.

Correspondence to Alexander D. White or Geun Ho Ahn.

A.D.W., G.H.A., K.V.G. and J.V. have filed a patent application for the ULS laser architecture (PCT/US2023/032287). The other authors declare no competing interests.

Nature Photonics thanks Pascal Del’Haye and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

White, A.D., Ahn, G.H., Luhtaru, R. et al. Unified laser stabilization and isolation on a silicon chip. Nat. Photon. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-024-01539-3

Download citation

Received: 20 February 2024

Accepted: 28 August 2024

Published: 15 October 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-024-01539-3

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

Nonlinear geometric phase coded ferroelectric nematic fluids for nonlinear soft-matter photonics | Nature Communications

News

Unified laser stabilization and isolation on a silicon chip | Nature Photonics