Hertz-linewidth semiconductor lasers using CMOS-ready ultra-high-Q microresonators

• Published in: Nature photonics Vol. 15; no. 5; pp. 346 - 353
• Main Authors: Jin, Warren, Yang, Qi-Fan, Chang, Lin, Shen, Boqiang, Wang, Heming, Leal, Mark A., Wu, Lue, Gao, Maodong, Feshali, Avi, Paniccia, Mario, Vahala, Kerry J., Bowers, John E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.05.2021; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 639/624/1020/1090; 639/624/1020/1093; 639/624/399/1097; 639/624/400/385; Applied and Technical Physics; CMOS; Coherence; Configurations; Dispersion; Lasers; Noise; Noise reduction; Optical communication; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Platforms; Q factors; Quantum Physics; Semiconductor lasers
• ISSN: 1749-4885; 1749-4893
• DOI: 10.1038/s41566-021-00761-7

Driven by narrow-linewidth bench-top lasers, coherent optical systems spanning optical communications, metrology and sensing provide unrivalled performance. To transfer these capabilities from the laboratory to the real world, a key missing ingredient is a mass-produced integrated laser with superior coherence. Here, we bridge conventional semiconductor lasers and coherent optical systems using CMOS-foundry-fabricated microresonators with a high Q factor of over 260 million and finesse over 42,000. A five-orders-of-magnitude noise reduction in the pump laser is demonstrated, enabling a frequency noise of 0.2 Hz 2  Hz −1 to be achieved in an electrically pumped integrated laser, with a corresponding short-term linewidth of 1.2 Hz. Moreover, the same configuration is shown to relieve the dispersion requirements for microcomb generation that have handicapped certain nonlinear platforms. The simultaneous realization of this high Q factor, highly coherent lasers and frequency combs using foundry-based technologies paves the way for volume manufacturing of a wide range of coherent optical systems. Using CMOS-ready ultra-high- Q microresonators, a highly coherent electrically pumped integrated laser with frequency noise of 0.2 Hz 2  Hz −1 , corresponding to a short-term linewidth of 1.2 Hz, is demonstrated. The device configuration is also found to relieve the dispersion requirements for microcomb generation that have limited certain nonlinear platforms.