Ultra-Low-Power Hybrid Light-Matter Solitons

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel hybrid light-matter platform that generates ultra-low-power, sub-picosecond solitons with unprecedented nonlinearity, enabling advanced nonlinear optical functionalities on integrated photonic circuits.

Contribution

The work demonstrates the creation of bright and dark-bright spatio-temporal solitons in a strongly coupled waveguide-exciton system with record nonlinear refractive index.

Findings

Generated sub-picosecond solitons at 0.5 pico-Joules

Achieved nonlinear refractive index 3 orders of magnitude larger than previous systems

Observed dark-bright spatio-temporal solitons for the first time

Abstract

New functionalities in nonlinear optics will require systems with giant optical nonlinearity as well as compatibility with photonic circuit fabrication techniques. Here we introduce a new platform based on strong light-matter coupling between waveguide photons and quantum-well excitons. On a sub-millimeter length scale we generate sub-picosecond bright temporal solitons at a pulse energy of only 0.5 pico-Joules. From this we deduce an unprecedented nonlinear refractive index 3 orders of magnitude larger than in any other ultrafast system. We study both temporal and spatio-temporal nonlinear effects and for the first time observe dark-bright spatio-temporal solitons. Theoretical modelling of soliton formation in the strongly coupled system confirms the experimental observations. These results show the promise of our system as a high speed, low power, integrated platform for physics and devices based on strong interactions between photons.