Generation and engineering of optical frequency combs based on ultra-high Q-factor Surface Nanoscale Axial Photonics technology

Objective

Optical frequency combs (OFCs) technology is a rapidly developing field of photonics with numerous applications in precision metrology, timekeeping, chemical sensing, telecommunications, and astronomy. A key step towards further development of this technology is miniaturizing OFC generators using optical microresonators. However, it is challenging to create miniature resonators generating OFC having a repetition rate (RR) as small as 100 MHz required for many of these applications. For instance, a silicon ring resonator generating OFC RR ~ 100 MHz has to have a diameter of ~20 cm. This project aims to revolutionize photonics technology by demonstrating broadband OFC generators with RR ~ 100 MHz that have much smaller dimensions of a few millimeters. To achieve this breakthrough, OFC-SNAP will employ and further develop the Surface Nanoscale Axial Photonics (SNAP) technology. The proposed research methodology encompasses: 1) Multi-physics modeling of thermo-optic effects during laser fabrication and analysis of nonlinear dynamics of SNAP-based Kerr OFCs; 2) employing a novel approach of the joint femtosecond-CO2 laser processing technique to create parabolic SNAP devices with unprecedented high quality factors ~ 10 to the power of 8, flexible control of their axial free spectral range, and dispersion minimization, and 3) demonstration and optimization of the generated Kerr OFCs by simultaneous optimization of the systems’ parameters. This MSCA fellowship will enhance the Fellow’s academic expertise, professional skills, and capacity for intersectoral collaboration through a comprehensive programme focused on frequency comb technology. The project will establish a foundation for next-generation integrated photonic devices and optical communications. By bridging fundamental research and practical innovation, the fellowship will advance the Fellow’s career development while reinforcing Europe’s global leadership in photonic integration and its strategic applications.