Novel Microcomb Generation

Optical frequency combs (OFCs) provide a large array of equally spaced optical frequencies, forming coherent light sources with applications in precision timekeeping, spectroscopy, ultrafast distance measurement, high-speed optical communications, and more. Conventional OFCs are large and bulky, motivating the development of microcombs generated in compact microring resonators. While microcombs offer a small footprint and chip-scale integration, achieving stable states is challenging. Soliton crystal microcombs are a robust, easily generated state with simple setup requirements. However, their formation relies on an avoided mode crossing. Here, we examine generation requirements for soliton crystal states, and ways to improve microcombs for high-speed communications.