No Arabic abstract
Three mode parametric instability has been predicted in Advanced gravitational wave detectors. Here we present the first observation of this phenomenon in a large scale suspended optical cavity designed to be comparable to those of advanced gravitational wave detectors. Our results show that previous modelling assumptions that transverse optical modes are stable in frequency except for frequency drifts on a thermal deformation time scale is unlikely to be valid for suspended mass optical cavities. We demonstrate that mirror figure errors cause a dependence of transverse mode offset frequency on spot position. Combined with low frequency residual motion of suspended mirrors, this leads to transverse mode frequency modulation which suppresses the effective parametric gain. We show that this gain suppression mechanism can be enhanced by laser spot dithering or fast thermal modulation. Using Advanced LIGO test mass data and thermal modelling we show that gain suppression factors of 10-20 could be achieved for individual modes, sufficient to greatly ameliorate the parametric instability problem.
Kerr optical frequency combs generated in a coherently driven Kerr nonlinear resonator has the potential for a wide range of applications. However, in a single cavity which is a widely adopted configuration for Kerr optical frequency combs generation, modulation instability is suppressed in normal dispersion regime and the pump-to-comb conversion efficiency is extremely low for a single dissipative Kerr soliton in anomalous dispersion regime. Dual-coupled cavities have been proposed to generate Kerr optical frequency combs in normal dispersion regime, and have potential to remarkably increase conversion efficiency for Kerr optical frequency combs. Here, we investigate modulation instability and Kerr optical frequency-comb formation in dual-coupled cavities. Based on solutions of the continuous-wave steady state, we obtain a quadric algebraic equation describing the modulation instability gain, and we find that it is intensely influenced by the group velocity mismatch between the two cavities. Our numerical simulations demonstrate that platicons can be generated via pump scanning scheme for the case that both the two cavities possess normal dispersion, and a single dissipative Kerr soliton can be generated in the cavity with anomalous dispersion while the dispersion of the other cavity is normal. Our analysis of modulation instability provides a powerful tool for Kerr optical frequency-comb generation via pump modulation and cavity detuning tuning scheme in dual-coupled cavities.
Continuously pumped passive nonlinear cavities can be harnessed for the creation of novel optical frequency combs. While most research has focused on third-order Kerr nonlinear interactions, recent studies have shown that frequency comb formation can also occur via second-order nonlinear effects. Here, we report on the formation of quadratic combs in optical parametric oscillator (OPO) configurations. Specifically, we demonstrate that optical frequency combs can be generated in the parametric region around half of the pump frequency in a continuously-driven OPO. We also model the OPO dynamics through a single time-domain mean-field equation, identifying previously unknown dynamical regimes, induced by modulation instabilities, which lead to comb formation. Numerical simulation results are in good agreement with experimentally observed spectra. Moreover, the analysis of the coherence properties of the simulated spectra shows the existence of correlated and phase-locked combs. Our results reveal previously unnoticed dynamics of an apparently well assessed optical system, and can lead to a new class of frequency comb sources that may stimulate novel applications by enabling straightforward access to elusive spectral regions, such as the mid-infrared.
Imperfections in the surface of intracavity elements of an optical ring resonator can scatter light from one mode into the counterpropagating mode. The phase-locking of the cavity modes induced by this backscattering is a well-known example that notoriously afflicts laser gyroscopes and similar active systems. We experimentally show how backscattering can be circumvented in a unidirectionally operated ring cavity either by an appropriate choice of the resonant cavity mode or by active feedback control.
Optomechanical structures are well suited to study photon-phonon interactions, and they also turn out to be potential building blocks for phononic circuits and quantum computing. In phononic circuits, in which information is carried and processed by phonons, optomechanical structures could be used as interfaces to photons and electrons thanks to their excellent coupling efficiency. Among the components required for phononic circuits, such structures could be used to create coherent phonon sources and detectors. Complex functions other than emission or detection remain challenging and addressing a single structure in a full network proves a formidable challenge. Here, we propose and demonstrate a way to modulate the coherent emission from optomechanical crystals by external optical pumping, effectively creating a phonon switch working at ambient conditions of pressure and temperature and the working speed of which (5 MHz) is only limited by the mechanical motion of the optomechanical structure. We additionally demonstrate two other switching schemes: harmonic switching in which the mechanical mode remains active but different harmonics of the optical force are used, and switching to- and from the chaotic regime. Furthermore, the method presented here allows to select any single structure without affecting its surroundings, which is an important step towards freely controllable networks of optomechanical phonon emitters.
High coherent frequency-entangled photons at telecom band are critical in quantum information protocols and quantum tele-communication. While photon pairs generated by spontaneous parametric down-conversion in nonlinear crystal or modulation instability in optical fiber exhibit random fluctuations, making the photons distinguishable among consecutive roundtrips. Here, we demonstrate a frequency-entangled photons based on parametric instability in an active fiber ring cavity, where periodic modulation of dispersion excites parametric resonance. The characteristic wave number in parametric instability is selected by the periodic modulation of resonator, and stable patterns with symmetric gains are formed. We find that the spectra of parametric instability sidebands possess a high degree of coherence, which is verified by the background-free autocorrelation of single-shot spectra. Two photon interference is performed by a fiber-based Mach-Zehnder interferometer without any stabilization. We obtain a Hong-Ou-Mandel interference visibility of 86.3% with a dip width of 4.3 mm. The correlation time measurement exhibits a linewidth of 68.36 MHz, indicating high coherence and indistinguishability among the photon pairs. Our results proves that the parametric instability in active fiber cavity is effective to generate high coherent frequency-entangled photon pairs, which would facilitate subsequent quantum applications.