Morton Photonics (United States)

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a low-loss, radio frequency (RF) photonic signal combiner with flat response from 1 GHz to 15 GHz and low group delay variation of 9 ps. The distributed group array photodetector combiner (GAPC) is implemented in a scalable Si photonics platform and has applications in RF photonic systems that rely on combining massive numbers of photonic signals.

TFLN/silicon photonic modulators featuring active silicon photonic components are reported with a Vπ of 3.6 Vcm. This hybrid architecture utilizes the bottom of the buried oxide as the bonding surface which features minimum topology.

Integrated optical frequency division is demonstrated with SiN-based reference cavity and microcomb. Phase noise reduction of 36 dB is measured, achieving -115 dBc/Hz phase noise at 10 kHz offset for 100 GHz carrier frequency.

A practical all-optical linearization scheme for a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) for use within Microwave Photonic systems is proposed and demonstrated. It utilizes the complimentary output of a 2-output MZM to create a linearized transmitter. The concept is validated using fiber interconnected discrete components, achieving record linearity for a nonamplified link, with spurious free dynamic range (SFDR) of 118.5 dB.Hz <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2/3</sup> for a single fiber system. This novel linearization scheme can be easily incorporated into photonic integrated circuits, such as on the Silicon Photonics platform with heterogeneous III–V integration, enabling high-performance, high-volume, low-cost systems.

A practical, broadband, all-optical linearization concept for a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) is proposed and demonstrated. The unique transmitter design includes an amplitude modulated (AM) standard MZM with two optical outputs, where the alternative (or complimentary) output is combined with the laser carrier to create a linearizing optical local oscillator, which when coherently combined with the AM signal fully cancels 3rd order intermodulation distortion components. Using this scheme, record linearity is achieved for a non-amplified RF photonic link, with spurious free dynamic range (SFDR) of 118.5 dB.Hz2/3 and 123 dB.Hz2/3 for single and dual fiber/photodetector schemes.

We present a widely tunable all-optical local oscillator (LO) scheme using two ultra-low noise, single cavity stabilized semiconductor lasers. Our all-optical LO with low phase noise and wide 4–32 GHz tuning range is readily extendable beyond 100 GHz for flexible optical down-conversion of RF signals.

Photonics chip-based soliton microcombs have been used in many applications including LIDAR, spectroscopy, coherent communication and astronomical spectrometer calibration [1]. Current-initiated soliton microcombs have been demonstrated [2, 3] recently, signifying improvements in the fabrication of high-Q Si 3 N 4 microresonators. However, both approaches suffer from limited input laser power, thus only demonstrated single-soliton at repetition rates above 149 GHz, which are challenging to detect with commercially available photodetectors. Here we demonstrate a single-soliton generation in 100-GHz-FSR Si 3 N 4 microresonators fabricated using the photonic Damascene reflow process [4], yielding the intrinsic Q-factor exceeding 15 million [5]. Using a compact hybrid laser with narrow linewidth, low relative intensity noise (−160 dBc/Hz at f offset =100 kHz) and high output power up to 100 mW [6], different comb states are observed by simply changing the current of the laser diode, without the need of complex tuning mechanism such as a single sideband modulator [7]. As the laser noise is directly transferred to the soliton comb line, this low-noise laser can be utilized in applications where the phase noise is a critical parameter, e.g. low-noise microwave generation or coherent communication. The experimental setup shown in Fig. 1 (a) consists of an ULN laser operated by a current source and temperature controllers to tune its frequency and power. After the light is coupled into the Si 3 N 4 photonic chip via double inverse nano tapers [8], the temperature of FBG/GC is changed to align the laser wavelength to the resonance of the microresonator. The laser diode current is increased (≈ 330 mA) until soliton existence range is sufficiently long. This is indicated by transmission signal directly observed after the chip on the photodetector (Fig. 1 c). Due to high-Q factor of the Si 3 N 4 , the soliton state can be accessed via simply frequency forward tuning [9], without the need of any complex soliton tuning mechanism. Further, different comb states are observed, i.e. modulation instability, multi-soliton state and single-soliton state, via laser diode current tuning. The coherence properties of the soliton-comb teeth is asserted by performing a heterodyne beatnote measurement using a reference laser with a short-time linewidth of 10 kHz (Fig. 1b). The soliton spectrum is fitted with a sech2 function corresponding to a 3 dB bandwidth of ≈19.3 nm and a ≈131.5 fs pulse.

We generate 100-GHz soliton microcombs in a photonic integrated high-Q Si 3 N 4 microresonator using an ultra-compact, high-power and low-frequency-noise semiconductor-based laser. The soliton is initiated via direct current tuning of the laser. © 2019 The Author(s)

We present results for a broad bandwidth continuously tunable optical delay line based on the balanced side-coupled integrated space sequence of resonators scheme. A tunable delay of up to 345 ps is obtained without distortion of the optical signal. Fast thermal switching speed under 10 μs is achieved without any measurable long-term transient by utilizing a novel balanced thermal tuning scheme.