Advances in Soliton Crystal Microcombs

Soliton crystal microcombs, as a new type of Kerr frequency comb, offer advantages such as higher energy conversion efficiency and a simpler generation mechanism compared to those of traditional soliton microcombs. They have a wide range of applications in fields like microwave photonics, ultra-high...

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Main Authors: Zhihui Liu, Haoran Zhang, Yuhang Song, Xiaotian Zhu, Caitlin E. Murray, Yunping Bai, Mengxi Tan, Sai T. Chu, David J. Moss, Xingyuan Xu, Kun Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Photonics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/11/12/1164
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author Zhihui Liu
Haoran Zhang
Yuhang Song
Xiaotian Zhu
Caitlin E. Murray
Yunping Bai
Mengxi Tan
Sai T. Chu
David J. Moss
Xingyuan Xu
Kun Xu
author_facet Zhihui Liu
Haoran Zhang
Yuhang Song
Xiaotian Zhu
Caitlin E. Murray
Yunping Bai
Mengxi Tan
Sai T. Chu
David J. Moss
Xingyuan Xu
Kun Xu
author_sort Zhihui Liu
collection DOAJ
description Soliton crystal microcombs, as a new type of Kerr frequency comb, offer advantages such as higher energy conversion efficiency and a simpler generation mechanism compared to those of traditional soliton microcombs. They have a wide range of applications in fields like microwave photonics, ultra-high-speed optical communication, and photonic neural networks. In this review, we discuss the recent developments regarding soliton crystal microcombs and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of generating soliton crystal microcombs utilizing different mechanisms. First, we briefly introduce the numerical model of optical frequency combs. Then, we introduce the generation schemes for soliton crystal microcombs based on various mechanisms, such as utilizing an avoided mode crossing, harmonic modulation, bi-chromatic pumping, and the use of saturable absorbers. Finally, we discuss the progress of research on soliton crystal microcombs in the fields of microwave photonics, optical communication, and photonic neural networks. We also discuss the challenges and perspectives regarding soliton crystal microcombs.
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series Photonics
spelling doaj-art-9ed4dc934ead402f97f25ad1ae6faae82025-08-20T02:01:13ZengMDPI AGPhotonics2304-67322024-12-011112116410.3390/photonics11121164Advances in Soliton Crystal MicrocombsZhihui Liu0Haoran Zhang1Yuhang Song2Xiaotian Zhu3Caitlin E. Murray4Yunping Bai5Mengxi Tan6Sai T. Chu7David J. Moss8Xingyuan Xu9Kun Xu10State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, ChinaDepartment of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Hong Kong, ChinaPhotonic Communications Laboratory, Department Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, AustraliaState Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, ChinaSchool of Electronic and Information Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, ChinaDepartment of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Hong Kong, ChinaOptical Sciences Center, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, AustraliaState Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, ChinaSoliton crystal microcombs, as a new type of Kerr frequency comb, offer advantages such as higher energy conversion efficiency and a simpler generation mechanism compared to those of traditional soliton microcombs. They have a wide range of applications in fields like microwave photonics, ultra-high-speed optical communication, and photonic neural networks. In this review, we discuss the recent developments regarding soliton crystal microcombs and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of generating soliton crystal microcombs utilizing different mechanisms. First, we briefly introduce the numerical model of optical frequency combs. Then, we introduce the generation schemes for soliton crystal microcombs based on various mechanisms, such as utilizing an avoided mode crossing, harmonic modulation, bi-chromatic pumping, and the use of saturable absorbers. Finally, we discuss the progress of research on soliton crystal microcombs in the fields of microwave photonics, optical communication, and photonic neural networks. We also discuss the challenges and perspectives regarding soliton crystal microcombs.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/11/12/1164soliton microcombssoliton crystal microcombsmicrowave photonicsoptical communicationphotonic neural networks
spellingShingle Zhihui Liu
Haoran Zhang
Yuhang Song
Xiaotian Zhu
Caitlin E. Murray
Yunping Bai
Mengxi Tan
Sai T. Chu
David J. Moss
Xingyuan Xu
Kun Xu
Advances in Soliton Crystal Microcombs
Photonics
soliton microcombs
soliton crystal microcombs
microwave photonics
optical communication
photonic neural networks
title Advances in Soliton Crystal Microcombs
title_full Advances in Soliton Crystal Microcombs
title_fullStr Advances in Soliton Crystal Microcombs
title_full_unstemmed Advances in Soliton Crystal Microcombs
title_short Advances in Soliton Crystal Microcombs
title_sort advances in soliton crystal microcombs
topic soliton microcombs
soliton crystal microcombs
microwave photonics
optical communication
photonic neural networks
url https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/11/12/1164
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