Abstract
Optical frequency division via optical frequency combs has enabled a leap in microwave metrology, leading to noise performance never explored before. Extending this method to the millimetre-wave and terahertz-wave domains is of great interest. Dissipative Kerr solitons in integrated photonic chips offer the unique feature of delivering optical frequency combs with ultrahigh repetition rates from 10 GHz to 1 THz, making them relevant gears for performing optical frequency division in the millimetre-wave and terahertz-wave domains. We experimentally demonstrate the optical frequency division of an optically carried 3.6 THz reference down to 300 GHz through a dissipative Kerr soliton, photodetected with an ultrafast uni-travelling-carrier photodiode. A new measurement system, based on the characterization of a microwave reference phase locked to the 300 GHz signal under test, yields attosecond-level timing-noise sensitivity, overcoming conventional technical limitations. This work places dissipative Kerr solitons as a leading technology in the millimetre-wave and terahertz-wave field, promising breakthroughs in fundamental and civilian applications.
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Data availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
We thank N. Kuse and M. Yeo for their technical contribution at the early stage of this work and Y. Uehara for his help. We are very grateful to V. Rolland for proofreading of the manuscript.
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T.T. and A.R. conceived the ideas, built, implemented and operated the experimental setup, and wrote the manuscript. T.N. provided the UTC-PD and insightful contributions on millimetre-wave technology. M.E.F. contributed to the conception of the project and the analysis of the data. T.T. designed and G.N. and M.G. fabricated the SiN microresonator. All authors contributed to the review of the manuscript. A.R. initiated and supervised the project.
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Tetsumoto, T., Nagatsuma, T., Fermann, M.E. et al. Optically referenced 300 GHz millimetre-wave oscillator. Nat. Photon. 15, 516–522 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-021-00790-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-021-00790-2
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