EPFL Chip Laser Matches High-Energy Pulses
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Researchers at EPFL have created a photonic chip that generates optical pulses rivaling those of much larger, laboratory-based lasers, delivering 1.05 nanojoules of energy in just 147 femtoseconds. The device shrinks a complex laser system, previously confined to optical tables, to the size of a millimeter, visually demonstrated by placing it on a 1 CHF coin. Publishing in Nature, the team led by Professor Tobias J. Kippenberg reports the first integrated ultrafast laser capable of matching the performance of its table-top counterparts. “For more than twenty years, a high-pulse-energy femtosecond laser on chip was widely regarded as a goal in integrated photonics,” says Kippenberg, adding that the result demonstrates its feasibility with a surprisingly elegant, previously overlooked architecture. This miniaturization promises to reshape fields from medical diagnostics to optical atomic clocks, and potentially lower the cost of precision tools for sensing and metrology.
Mamyshev Oscillator Enables Chip-Scale Ultrafast Laser A previously overlooked laser design has enabled the creation of an ultrafast laser on a chip, delivering performance comparable to systems once confined to optical tables. Researchers at EPFL have successfully integrated a high-pulse-energy femtosecond laser onto a photonic chip, generating 1.05 nanojoules of energy in pulses lasting just 147 femtoseconds, a feat considered a goal in integrated photonics for over twenty years, according to Professor Tobias J. Kippenberg.
The team achieved this miniaturization by employing a Mamyshev oscillator, a laser cavity design featuring a nonlinear waveguide positioned between two optical filters that selectively pass different wavelengths of light. This configuration allows strong pulses to broaden in color, sustaining circulation while rejecting weaker light; a key advantage, as Zheru Qiu, a co-leading author of the paper, explains, “This design is especially attractive because it does not require any component that is difficult to make on this erbium-doped silicon nitride chip.” The 42-cm-long laser cavity is folded into a space no larger than a match head, dramatically reducing the footprint compared to traditional fiber-based lasers. Fabricated on a wafer scale, the chip allows for the simultaneous production of multiple laser cavities, promising significantly lower costs for applications in sensing, spectroscopy, and metrology. Qiu states that with kilowatt-level peak powers, the chip can drive demanding applications that have long depended on large, expensive laboratory lasers, suggesting potential for portable diagnostic tools and compact optical atomic clocks for improved communication and navigation systems. 05 Nanojoule Pulses at 147 Femtoseconds Achieved The pursuit of shrinking complex laser systems onto integrated chips has long been a central goal in photonics, with researchers striving to replicate the performance of bulky, table-top setups in a miniaturized format. Until recently, generating high-pulse-energy femtosecond lasers on a chip remained elusive; however, a team at EPFL has now demonstrated pulses containing 1.05 nanojoules of energy delivered in just 147 femtoseconds, a significant advancement in the field. This achievement surpasses previous attempts by maintaining both high energy and ultrafast pulse duration within a compact device, opening doors to a wider range of applications previously limited by size and cost. This miniaturization is enabled by an overlooked laser design known as the Mamyshev oscillator, where a nonlinear waveguide sits between optical filters, selectively amplifying pulses as they circulate. Fabricated on an erbium-doped silicon nitride chip, the device benefits from a manufacturing process compatible with wafer-scale production, potentially leading to significantly lower costs. For more than twenty years, a high-pulse-energy femtosecond laser on chip was widely regarded as a holy grail of integrated photonics,” Potential Impact on Metrology and Diagnostics Beyond fundamental research, the implications for metrology are substantial, particularly in applications demanding high-precision measurements.
The team at EPFL anticipates a broad impact on diagnostic tools, envisioning affordable devices capable of detecting pollutants and revealing hidden defects in materials. The manufacturing process, leveraging wafer-scale production similar to computer chips, promises to further reduce costs and accelerate the deployment of these technologies. This scalability, combined with the chip’s inherent compactness, suggests a future where sophisticated optical tools are no longer confined to specialized laboratories but are readily available for field-based analysis and point-of-care diagnostics. Our result shows that it is not only possible, but that it can be achieved with a surprisingly elegant architecture that the integrated-photonics community had overlooked. Source: https://actu.epfl.ch/news/a-ultrafast-laser-on-a-chip/ Stay current. See today’s quantum computing news on Quantum Zeitgeist for the latest breakthroughs in qubits, hardware, algorithms, and industry deals. Tags: