Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Institut national de la recherche scientifique
$150,000.00
State-of-the-art metrological source at telecom wavelengths for the calibration of ultra compact, extremely low power integrated comb sources of classical and non classical light.
FY 2014-15
Summary
Stabilized optical frequency comb sources enabled by the f-2f interferometer technique (Nobel Prize 2005) have revolutionized the precise measurement of optical frequencies and constitute a huge technological step forward in multiple different scientific fields, e.g., precision metrology, high resolution spectroscopy and quantum optics. Different setups have been developed to improve their performance characteristics, where today the ""holy grail"" lies in their realization in an integrated form to reduce cost, size and power consumption and increase their stability performance, in order to make them available to a broad market. However this has not been yet realized as such OCTAVE-SPANNING frequency combs (in which hundreds of lines are generated) would require very high input powers from an external laser pump, against the very own idea of miniaturization and integrability. Here we propose a new, revolutionary scheme where two mode-locked lasers on a single integrated platform and operating in a novel Filter Driven-Four Wave Mixing (FD-FWM) scheme (co-invented by the PI of the proposal) are coupled together to generate, through a subsequent cascaded FWM process within a high-Q microring resonator, a NON-CONTINUOUS train of frequencies. The main outcome of this solution would be the realization of low cost, low power devices fully compatible with today's electronics micro fabrication techniques, i.e. CMOS compatible. For this vision to become reality a FUNDAMENTAL component (requested in the current application and not available elsewhere in Canada) is URGENTLY needed, i.e. a suitable external reference source to characterize the proposed technique and assess the accuracy and stability performance of our integrated device. The benefits related to our research program are twofold. It will pave the way for the development of new advanced technologies while promoting the training of highly qualified personnel, consistently with the needs of both Canadian industry and society.
Program
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Location
Quebec, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
472379-2015
Name nom
Morandotti, Roberto
Department département
Centre Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications (ÉMT) Varennes
Organization id
56
Institution établissement
Institut national de la recherche scientifique
Province en
Québec
Province fr
Québec
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2014
Competition year année de concours
2015
Award amount
150000
Program id
EQPEQ
Program name en
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Program name fr
Outils et instruments de recherche - catégorie 1 (<150 000$)
Group en
Discovery grants programs
Group fr
Programmes de subventions à la découverte
Committee code
1505
Committee name en
Physics
Committee name fr
Physique
Area of application code
515
Area of application group en
Manufacturing processes and products
Area of application group fr
Procédés et produits industriels
Area of application en
Instrumentation technology
Area of application fr
Technologie de l'instrumentation
Research subject code
3111
Research subject group en
Physics
Research subject group fr
Physique
Research subject en
Lasers
Research subject fr
Laser
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
State-of-the-art metrological source at telecom wavelengths for the calibration of ultra compact, extremely low power integrated comb sources of classical and non classical light.
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
Stabilized optical frequency comb sources enabled by the f-2f interferometer technique (Nobel Prize 2005) have revolutionized the precise measurement of optical frequencies and constitute a huge technological step forward in multiple different scientific fields, e.g., precision metrology, high resolution spectroscopy and quantum optics. Different setups have been developed to improve their performance characteristics, where today the ""holy grail"" lies in their realization in an integrated form to reduce cost, size and power consumption and increase their stability performance, in order to make them available to a broad market. However this has not been yet realized as such OCTAVE-SPANNING frequency combs (in which hundreds of lines are generated) would require very high input powers from an external laser pump, against the very own idea of miniaturization and integrability. Here we propose a new, revolutionary scheme where two mode-locked lasers on a single integrated platform and operating in a novel Filter Driven-Four Wave Mixing (FD-FWM) scheme (co-invented by the PI of the proposal) are coupled together to generate, through a subsequent cascaded FWM process within a high-Q microring resonator, a NON-CONTINUOUS train of frequencies. The main outcome of this solution would be the realization of low cost, low power devices fully compatible with today's electronics micro fabrication techniques, i.e. CMOS compatible. For this vision to become reality a FUNDAMENTAL component (requested in the current application and not available elsewhere in Canada) is URGENTLY needed, i.e. a suitable external reference source to characterize the proposed technique and assess the accuracy and stability performance of our integrated device. The benefits related to our research program are twofold. It will pave the way for the development of new advanced technologies while promoting the training of highly qualified personnel, consistently with the needs of both Canadian industry and society.
