Tantala Kerr nonlinear integrated photonics

Integrated photonics plays a central role in modern science and technology, enabling experiments from nonlinear science to quantum information, ultraprecise measurements and sensing, and advanced applications such as data communication and signal processing. Optical materials with favorable properties are essential for nanofabrication of integrated photonics devices. Here we describe a material for integrated nonlinear photonics, tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5, hereafter tantala), which offers low intrinsic material stress, low optical loss, and efficient access to Kerr nonlinear processes. We utilize >800 nm thick tantala films deposited via ion beam sputtering on oxidized silicon wafers. The tantala films contain a low residual tensile stress of 38 MPa, and they offer a Kerr index of n(2) = 6.2 +/- 2.3 x 10(-19) m(2)/W, which is approximately a factor of 3 higher than silicon nitride. We fabricate integrated nonlinear resonators and waveguides without the cracking challenges that are prevalent in stoichiometric silicon nitride. The tantala resonators feature an optical quality factor up to 3.8 x 10(6), which enables us to generate ultrabroad bandwidth Kerr soliton frequency combs with low threshold power. Moreover, we characterize tantala waveguides by supercontinuum generation from low-energy, ultrafast seed pulses. These demonstrations characterize future application directions with tantala integrated nonlinear photonics.

Automated summary

Integrated photonics is essential for a wide range of modern scientific and technological advancements, and tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) has emerged as a promising material for integrated nonlinear photonics due to its low intrinsic stress, optical loss, and efficient Kerr nonlinear processes. Using >800 nm thick tantalum films deposited via ion beam sputtering, researchers have successfully fabricated integrated nonlinear resonators and waveguides with high optical quality factors, paving the way for future applications in ultrabroad bandwidth Kerr soliton frequency combs and supercontinuum generation.