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Tantalum pentoxide waveguides and microresonators for VECSEL based frequency combs

Tantalum pentoxide waveguides and microresonators for VECSEL based frequency combs
Tantalum pentoxide waveguides and microresonators for VECSEL based frequency combs

Tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) is a promising material for mass-producible, multi-functional, integrated photonics circuits on silicon, exhibiting robust electrical, mechanical and thermal properties, as well as good CMOS compatibility. In addition, Ta2O5 has been reported to demonstrate a non-linear response comparable to that of chalcogenide glass, in the region of 3-6 times larger than that of materials such as silica (SiO2) or silicon nitride (Si3N4). In contrast to Si-based dielectrics, it will accept trivalent ytterbium and erbium dopant ions, opening the possibility of on-chip amplification. The high refractive index of Ta2O5 is consistent with small guided mode cross-section area, and allows the construction of micro-ring resonators. Propagation losses as low as 0.2 dB=cm have been reported. In this paper we describe the design of a planar Ta2O5 waveguides optimised for the generation of coherent continuum with near infrared pulse trains at kW peak powers. The Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF) of the VECSEL can be tuned to a sub-harmonic of the planar micro-ring and the optical pump power applied to the VECSEL can be adjusted so that mode-matching of the VECSEL pulse train with the micro-ring resonator can be achieved. We shall describe the fabrication of Ta2O5 guiding structures, and the characterisation of their nonlinear and other optical properties. Characterisation with conventional lasers will be used to assess the degree of coherent spectral broadening likely to be achievable using these devices when driven by mode-locked VECSELs operating near the current state-of-art for pulse energy and duration.

Frequency Combs, Mode-locked, Supercontinuum, VECSEL
0277-786X
1-10
SPIE
Chen-Sverre, T.
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Woods, J.R.C.
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Shaw, E.A.
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Hua, Ping
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Apostolopoulos, V.
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Wilkinson, J.S.
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Tropper, A.C.
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Chen-Sverre, T.
f515a9e9-da44-4af8-b444-8e1daa93222d
Woods, J.R.C.
469cd675-1074-4b44-a0d4-b72a4915fa36
Shaw, E.A.
0bb156bd-9e0a-4bd9-88a2-0387c74c8404
Hua, Ping
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Apostolopoulos, V.
8a898740-4c71-4040-a577-9b9d70530b4d
Wilkinson, J.S.
73483cf3-d9f2-4688-9b09-1c84257884ca
Tropper, A.C.
f3505426-e0d5-4e91-aed3-aecdb44b393c

Chen-Sverre, T., Woods, J.R.C., Shaw, E.A., Hua, Ping, Apostolopoulos, V., Wilkinson, J.S. and Tropper, A.C. (2018) Tantalum pentoxide waveguides and microresonators for VECSEL based frequency combs. In Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VECSELs) VIII. vol. 10515, SPIE. pp. 1-10 . (doi:10.1117/12.2289773).

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)

Abstract

Tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) is a promising material for mass-producible, multi-functional, integrated photonics circuits on silicon, exhibiting robust electrical, mechanical and thermal properties, as well as good CMOS compatibility. In addition, Ta2O5 has been reported to demonstrate a non-linear response comparable to that of chalcogenide glass, in the region of 3-6 times larger than that of materials such as silica (SiO2) or silicon nitride (Si3N4). In contrast to Si-based dielectrics, it will accept trivalent ytterbium and erbium dopant ions, opening the possibility of on-chip amplification. The high refractive index of Ta2O5 is consistent with small guided mode cross-section area, and allows the construction of micro-ring resonators. Propagation losses as low as 0.2 dB=cm have been reported. In this paper we describe the design of a planar Ta2O5 waveguides optimised for the generation of coherent continuum with near infrared pulse trains at kW peak powers. The Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF) of the VECSEL can be tuned to a sub-harmonic of the planar micro-ring and the optical pump power applied to the VECSEL can be adjusted so that mode-matching of the VECSEL pulse train with the micro-ring resonator can be achieved. We shall describe the fabrication of Ta2O5 guiding structures, and the characterisation of their nonlinear and other optical properties. Characterisation with conventional lasers will be used to assess the degree of coherent spectral broadening likely to be achievable using these devices when driven by mode-locked VECSELs operating near the current state-of-art for pulse energy and duration.

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Tantalum Pentoxide Waveguides and Microresonators for - Accepted Manuscript
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Accepted/In Press date: 1 February 2018
Published date: 15 February 2018
Venue - Dates: Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VECSELs) VIII 2018, , San Francisco, United States, 2018-01-29 - 2018-01-30
Keywords: Frequency Combs, Mode-locked, Supercontinuum, VECSEL

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 420935
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/420935
ISSN: 0277-786X
PURE UUID: cfdeac3b-4bd5-4cb0-9158-c7dc1fbe3f28
ORCID for V. Apostolopoulos: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3733-2191
ORCID for J.S. Wilkinson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4712-1697

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Date deposited: 18 May 2018 16:30
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 03:07

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Contributors

Author: T. Chen-Sverre
Author: J.R.C. Woods
Author: E.A. Shaw
Author: Ping Hua
Author: J.S. Wilkinson ORCID iD
Author: A.C. Tropper

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