Hybrid integrated ultra-low linewidth coil stabilized isolator-free widely tunable external cavity laser

Abstract Precision applications including quantum computing and sensing, mmWave/RF generation, and metrology, demand widely tunable, ultra-low phase noise lasers. Today, these experiments employ table-scale systems with bulk-optics and isolators to achieve requisite noise, stability, and tunability....

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: David A. S. Heim, Debapam Bose, Kaikai Liu, Andrei Isichenko, Daniel J. Blumenthal
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61122-4
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849402107347599360
author David A. S. Heim
Debapam Bose
Kaikai Liu
Andrei Isichenko
Daniel J. Blumenthal
author_facet David A. S. Heim
Debapam Bose
Kaikai Liu
Andrei Isichenko
Daniel J. Blumenthal
author_sort David A. S. Heim
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Precision applications including quantum computing and sensing, mmWave/RF generation, and metrology, demand widely tunable, ultra-low phase noise lasers. Today, these experiments employ table-scale systems with bulk-optics and isolators to achieve requisite noise, stability, and tunability. Photonic integration will enable scalable, reliable and portable solutions. Here we report a hybrid-integrated external cavity widely tunable laser stabilized to a 10 m-long integrated coil-resonator, achieving record-low 3 – 7 Hz fundamental linewidth across a 60 nm tuning range and 27 – 60 Hz integral linewidth with 1.8E-13 ADEV at 6.4 ms across 40 nm, delivering orders of magnitude frequency noise and integral linewidth reduction over state of the art. Stabilization is achieved without an optical isolator, leveraging resilience to optical feedback of 30 dB beyond that of commercial DFB lasers. The laser and reference cavity are fabricated in the same Si3N4 CMOS-compatible process, unlocking a path towards fully integrated visible to ShortWave-IR frequency-stabilized lasers.
format Article
id doaj-art-ea7af911b0124827a034aa57cd866e05
institution Kabale University
issn 2041-1723
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Nature Communications
spelling doaj-art-ea7af911b0124827a034aa57cd866e052025-08-20T03:37:37ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-011611910.1038/s41467-025-61122-4Hybrid integrated ultra-low linewidth coil stabilized isolator-free widely tunable external cavity laserDavid A. S. Heim0Debapam Bose1Kaikai Liu2Andrei Isichenko3Daniel J. Blumenthal4Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa BarbaraDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa BarbaraDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa BarbaraDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa BarbaraDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa BarbaraAbstract Precision applications including quantum computing and sensing, mmWave/RF generation, and metrology, demand widely tunable, ultra-low phase noise lasers. Today, these experiments employ table-scale systems with bulk-optics and isolators to achieve requisite noise, stability, and tunability. Photonic integration will enable scalable, reliable and portable solutions. Here we report a hybrid-integrated external cavity widely tunable laser stabilized to a 10 m-long integrated coil-resonator, achieving record-low 3 – 7 Hz fundamental linewidth across a 60 nm tuning range and 27 – 60 Hz integral linewidth with 1.8E-13 ADEV at 6.4 ms across 40 nm, delivering orders of magnitude frequency noise and integral linewidth reduction over state of the art. Stabilization is achieved without an optical isolator, leveraging resilience to optical feedback of 30 dB beyond that of commercial DFB lasers. The laser and reference cavity are fabricated in the same Si3N4 CMOS-compatible process, unlocking a path towards fully integrated visible to ShortWave-IR frequency-stabilized lasers.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61122-4
spellingShingle David A. S. Heim
Debapam Bose
Kaikai Liu
Andrei Isichenko
Daniel J. Blumenthal
Hybrid integrated ultra-low linewidth coil stabilized isolator-free widely tunable external cavity laser
Nature Communications
title Hybrid integrated ultra-low linewidth coil stabilized isolator-free widely tunable external cavity laser
title_full Hybrid integrated ultra-low linewidth coil stabilized isolator-free widely tunable external cavity laser
title_fullStr Hybrid integrated ultra-low linewidth coil stabilized isolator-free widely tunable external cavity laser
title_full_unstemmed Hybrid integrated ultra-low linewidth coil stabilized isolator-free widely tunable external cavity laser
title_short Hybrid integrated ultra-low linewidth coil stabilized isolator-free widely tunable external cavity laser
title_sort hybrid integrated ultra low linewidth coil stabilized isolator free widely tunable external cavity laser
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61122-4
work_keys_str_mv AT davidasheim hybridintegratedultralowlinewidthcoilstabilizedisolatorfreewidelytunableexternalcavitylaser
AT debapambose hybridintegratedultralowlinewidthcoilstabilizedisolatorfreewidelytunableexternalcavitylaser
AT kaikailiu hybridintegratedultralowlinewidthcoilstabilizedisolatorfreewidelytunableexternalcavitylaser
AT andreiisichenko hybridintegratedultralowlinewidthcoilstabilizedisolatorfreewidelytunableexternalcavitylaser
AT danieljblumenthal hybridintegratedultralowlinewidthcoilstabilizedisolatorfreewidelytunableexternalcavitylaser