Thermal and Nonlinear Dissipative-Soliton Dynamics in Kerr Microresonator Frequency Combs

TL;DR

This paper investigates how thermal and nonlinear effects influence Kerr soliton dynamics in microresonators, demonstrating precise stabilization of frequency combs and analyzing noise impacts on microwave spectral purity.

Contribution

It introduces a PDH stabilization method for Kerr solitons, enabling decoupled control of comb parameters and phase stabilization with unprecedented precision.

Findings

Achieved fractional frequency stability below 10^-16.

Demonstrated decoupling of repetition and offset frequencies.

Analyzed the impact of residual detuning noise on microwave spectral purity.

Abstract

We explore the dynamical response of dissipative Kerr solitons to changes in pump power and detuning and show how thermal and nonlinear processes couple these parameters to the frequency-comb degrees of freedom. Our experiments are enabled by a Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) stabilization approach that provides on-demand, radiofrequency control of the frequency comb. PDH locking not only guides Kerr-soliton formation from a cold microresonator, but opens a path to decouple the repetition and carrier-envelope-offset frequencies. In particular, we demonstrate phase stabilization of both Kerr-comb degrees-of-freedom to a fractional frequency precision below 10^-16, compatible with optical-timekeeping technology. Moreover, we investigate the fundamental role that residual laser-resonator detuning noise plays in the spectral purity of microwave generation with Kerr combs.