Dispersive-wave-agile optical frequency division

The remarkable frequency stability of resonant systems in the optical domain (optical cavities and atomic transitions) can be harnessed at frequency scales accessible by electronics using optical frequency division. This capability is revolutionizing technologies spanning time keeping to high-performance electrical signal sources. A version of the technique called 2-point optical frequency division (2P-OFD) is proving advantageous for application to high-performance signal sources. In 2P-OFD, an optical cavity anchors two spectral endpoints defined by lines of a frequency comb. The comb need not be self-referenced, which greatly simplifies the system architecture and reduces power requirements. Here, a 2P-OFD microwave signal source is demonstrated with record-low phase noise using a microcomb. Key to this advance is a spectral endpoint defined by a frequency agile singlemode dispersive wave that is emitted by the microcomb soliton. Moreover, the system frequency reference is a compact all-solid-state optical cavity with a record Q-factor. The results advance integrable microcomb-based signal sources into the performance realm of much larger microwave sources.

光学域内的谐振系统（涵盖光学腔与原子跃迁）具备卓越的频率稳定性，可借助光频分频技术适配电子学可触及的频率尺度。这一能力正彻底变革从时间计量到高性能电信号源的诸多技术领域。其中一种名为两点光频分频（2-point optical frequency division, 2P-OFD）的技术变体，在应用于高性能信号源时展现出显著优势。在两点光频分频系统中，光学腔锚定由频率梳（frequency comb）谱线定义的两个光谱端点。该频率梳无需自参考，此举极大简化了系统架构并降低了功耗需求。本工作中，研究人员基于微梳（microcomb）实现了一款相位噪声达世界纪录新低的两点光频分频微波信号源。此项进展的核心在于，采用微梳孤子辐射出的频率捷变单模色散波作为光谱端点。此外，本系统的频率参考采用了一款具备创纪录Q因子（Q-factor）的紧凑型全固态光学腔。本研究成果将可集成的微梳基信号源的性能提升至大型传统微波信号源的水准。

搜集汇总

背景与挑战

背景概述

该数据集聚焦于光学频率分频技术，特别是2点光学频率分频（2P-OFD），通过微梳实现了创纪录低相位噪声的微波信号源。关键技术突破包括利用微梳孤子产生的频率灵活单模色散波作为光谱端点，以及采用高Q因子的紧凑全固态光学腔作为频率参考，推动了可集成微梳信号源性能向更大微波源领域迈进。