Switching dynamics of reconfigurable perfect soliton crystals in dual-coupled microresonators

TL;DR

This paper explores the reconfigurability of perfect soliton crystals in dual-coupled microresonators, revealing new switching dynamics and an unexplored phase region through numerical simulations, enhancing microcomb applications.

Contribution

It introduces the first discovery of an unexplored PSC region and demonstrates bidirectional, defect-free switching of soliton numbers in microresonators.

Findings

Identification of a new PSC region in the phase plane.

Successful bidirectional switching of soliton numbers.

Observation of nonlinear phenomena like soliton merging and bursting.

Abstract

Dual-coupled structure is typically used to actively change the local dispersion of microresonator through controllable avoided mode crossings (AMXs). In this paper, we investigate the reconfigurability of perfect soliton crystals (PSCs) based on dual-coupled microresonators. The switching dynamics of PSCs are numerically simulated using perturbed Lugiato-Lefever equation (LLE). Nonlinear phenomena such as solitons rearranging, merging and bursting are observed in the switching process. Specially, for the first time, we have discovered an unexplored $PSC$ $region$ in the microcomb power-detuning phase plane. In $PSC$ $region$, the soliton number ($N$) of PSC state can be switched successively and bidirectionally in a defect-free fashion, verifying the feasibility and advantages of our scheme. The reconfigurability of PSCs would further liberate the application potential of microcombs in a wide range of fields, including frequency metrology, optical communications, and signal-processing systems.