Chirped temporal solitons in driven optical resonators

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new class of chirped temporal solitons in normal dispersion resonators, supported by theoretical, numerical, and experimental evidence, expanding the potential for ultrashort pulse and frequency comb generation.

Contribution

It presents the first combined theoretical and experimental study of large-chirp temporal solitons in normal dispersion resonators, with new scaling laws and design guidelines.

Findings

Stable highly chirped pulses observed in experiments.

Numerical simulations confirm wide parameter range stability.

Scaling laws enable practical design of chirped solitons.

Abstract

Temporal solitons in driven microresonator, fiber-resonator, and bulk enhancement cavities enable attractive optical sources for spectroscopy, communications, and metrology. Here we present theoretical and experimental observations of a new class of temporal optical soliton characterized by pulses with large and positive chirp in normal dispersion resonators with strong spectral filtering. Numerical simulations reveal stable waveforms over a wide new range of parameters including highly chirped pulses at large drive powers. Chirped temporal solitons matching predictions are observed in experiments with normal dispersion fiber resonators strongly driven with nanosecond pulses. Scaling laws are developed and provide simple design guidelines for generating chirped temporal solitons in bulk- and micro-resonator, in addition to fiber-resonator platforms. The relationship between the chirped solutions and other stable waveforms in normal and anomalous dispersion resonators is examined. Chirped temporal solitons represent a promising new resource for frequency-comb and ultrashort-pulse generation.