Integrated Pockels Laser

TL;DR

This paper presents an integrated semiconductor laser with the Pockels effect, achieving record-high modulation speed, multi-color operation, and wide tunability, enabling advanced photonic applications.

Contribution

It introduces the first integrated multi-color laser with electro-optic modulation and demonstrates record-high frequency modulation speed using a hybrid III-V/Lithium Niobate structure.

Findings

Achieved 2 exahertz/s modulation speed.

First integrated multi-color laser via second-harmonic conversion.

Demonstrated fast switching at 50 MHz.

Abstract

The development of integrated semiconductor lasers has miniaturized traditional bulky laser systems, enabling a wide range of photonic applications. A progression from pure III-V based lasers to III-V/external cavity structures has harnessed low-loss waveguides in different material systems, leading to significant improvements in laser coherence and stability. Despite these successes, however, key functions remain absent. In this work, we address a critical missing function by integrating the Pockels effect into a semiconductor laser. Using a hybrid integrated III-V/Lithium Niobate structure, we demonstrate several essential capabilities that have not existed in previous integrated lasers. These include a record-high frequency modulation speed of 2 exahertz/s (2.0$\times$10$^{18}$ Hz/s) and fast switching at 50 MHz, both of which are made possible by integration of the electro-optic effect. Moreover, the device co-lases at infrared and visible frequencies via the second-harmonic frequency conversion process, the first such integrated multi-color laser. Combined with its narrow linewidth and wide tunability, this new type of integrated laser holds promise for many applications including LiDAR, microwave photonics, atomic physics, and AR/VR.