Author(s): Tang, J (Tang, Jian); Zhu, BB (Zhu, Beibei); Zhang, WF (Zhang, Weifeng); Li, M (Li, Ming); Pan, SL (Pan, Shilong); Yao, JP (Yao, Jianping)

Source: NATURE COMMUNICATIONS Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Article Number: 3814 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17264-8 Published: JUL 30 2020

Abstract: We show the generation of a tunable linearly chirped microwave waveform (LCMW) with an ultra-large time-bandwidth product (TBWP) based on a hybrid Fourier-domain mode-locked (FDML) laser. The key device in the hybrid FDML laser is a silicon photonic integrated micro-disk resonator (MDR) which functions as an optical bandpass filter, to have strong wavelength selectivity and fast frequency tunability. By incorporating the integrated MDR in the fiber-based ring cavity to perform frequency-domain mode locking, an FDML laser is realized and a broadband frequency-chirped optical pulse is generated. By beating the frequency-chirped optical pulse with an optical carrier from a laser diode (LD) at a photodetector (PD), an LCMW is generated. The bandwidth of the LCMW is over 50GHz and the temporal duration is over 30 mu s, with an ultra-large TBWP of 1.5x10(6). Thanks to the strong tunability of the MDR in the FDML laser, the generated LCMW is fully tunable in terms of bandwidth, temporal duration, chirp rate, and center frequency. Linearly chirped microwave waveforms with high time-bandwidth products would have important applications but are difficult to achieve. Here the authors generate such a waveform in a photonic setting by implementing a micro-disk resonator as a tunable optical bandpass filter in a Fourier-domain mode-locked laser.

Accession Number: WOS:000560053400023

PubMed ID: 32732873

Author Identifiers:

Author        Web of Science ResearcherID        ORCID Number

Li, Ming                  0000-0001-8959-9619

Pan, Shilong         E-7460-2010         0000-0003-2620-7272

ISSN: 2041-1723

Full Text: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-17264-8