High parametric efficiency in laser cavity-soliton microcombs

Laser cavity-soliton microcombs are robust optical pulsed sources, usually im-plemented with a microresonator-filtered fibre laser. In such a configuration, a nonlinear microcavity converts the narrowband pulse resulting from bandwidth-limited amplification to a background-free broadband microcomb. Here, we theoretically and experimentally study the soliton conversion efficiency between the narrowband input pulse and the two outputs of a four-port integrated microcavity, namely the 'Drop' and 'Through' ports. We simultaneously measure on-chip, single-soliton conversion efficiencies of 45% and 25% for the two broadband comb outputs at the 'Drop' and 'Through' ports of a 48.9 GHz free-spectral range micro-ring resonator, obtaining a total conversion efficiency of 72%.

Automated summary

This study theoretically and experimentally investigates the soliton conversion efficiency between the narrowband input pulse and the two outputs of a four-port integrated microcavity. It is found that the single-soliton conversion efficiencies of the broadband comb outputs are high, with a total conversion efficiency of 72% in a specific micro-ring resonator case.