Frequency combs and coherent dissipative structures in nonlinear optical microresonators

TL;DR

This paper reviews how high-Q Kerr-nonlinear microresonators generate coherent optical frequency combs through dissipative structures like solitons, emphasizing their physical principles and applications.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the physical mechanisms behind microresonator-based frequency combs and their integration into photonic chips.

Findings

Microresonators enable low-power, coherent frequency comb generation.

Dissipative Kerr solitons are key to stable comb formation.

Microcombs are useful for high repetition rate and broad bandwidth applications.

Abstract

Laser-driven high-Q Kerr-nonlinear optical microresonators enable parametric oscillation with low-power continuous-wave lasers and host a variety of coherent dissipative structures, including dissipative Kerr solitons and switching waves. These time-periodic structures constitute coherent optical frequency combs, and photonic-chip integration has miniaturized them to the chip scale. Such photonic-integrated, microresonator-based frequency combs - often termed 'microcombs' or 'Kerr combs' - have been demonstrated in various system-level and scientific applications. They complement femtosecond-laser-based frequency combs when high repetition rates, broad bandwidths, or high power per comb line are needed. This review introduces the field of microcombs and outlines the fundamental physical principles governing the generation of coherent frequency combs in microresonators.