Integrated Pockels laser

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 13; no. 1; pp. 5344 - 10
• Main Authors: Li, Mingxiao, Chang, Lin, Wu, Lue, Staffa, Jeremy, Ling, Jingwei, Javid, Usman A., Xue, Shixin, He, Yang, Lopez-rios, Raymond, Morin, Theodore J., Wang, Heming, Shen, Boqiang, Zeng, Siwei, Zhu, Lin, Vahala, Kerry J., Bowers, John E., Lin, Qiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 12-09-2022; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 639/624/1020/1093; 639/624/1075/1079; 639/624/400/385; Atomic physics; Frequency dependence; Frequency modulation; Humanities and Social Sciences; Integration; Lasers; Lidar; Lithium; Lithium niobates; Microwave photonics; multidisciplinary; Photonics; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Semiconductor lasers; Semiconductors; Waveguides
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33101-6

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 × 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.
On-Chip integration of laser systems led to impressive development in many field of application like LIDAR or AR/VR to cite a few. Here the authors harness Pockels effect in an integrated semiconductor platform achieving fast on-chip configurability of a narrow linewidth laser.