Optical frequency combs based on solitons in nonlinear microresonators open up new regimes for optical metrology and signal processing across a range of expanding and emerging applications. In this work, we advance these combs toward applications by demonstrating protected single-soliton formation and operation in a Kerr-nonlinear microresonator using a phase-modulated pump laser. Phase modulation gives rise to spatially/temporally varying effective loss and detuning parameters, leading to an operation regime in which multi-soliton degeneracy is lifted and a single soliton is the only observable behavior. We achieve direct, on-demand excitation of single solitons as indicated by reversal of the characteristic “soliton step.” Phase modulation also enables precise, high bandwidth control of the soliton pulse train’s properties, and we measure dynamics that agree closely with simulations. We show that the technique can be extended to high-repetition-frequency Kerr solitons through subharmonic phase modulation. These results will facilitate straightforward generation and control of Kerr-soliton microcombs for integrated photonics systems.

中文翻译：

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chi背景的克尔微谐振器孤子

基于非线性微谐振器中的孤子的光频率梳为扩展和新兴应用范围内的光学计量和信号处理开辟了新的领域。在这项工作中，我们通过展示受保护的单孤子的形成和在使用相位调制泵浦激光器的Kerr非线性微谐振器中的操作，将这些梳子推向了应用。相位调制会引起空间/时间变化的有效损耗和失谐参数，从而导致一种运行方式，其中多孤子简并性得到提升，而单个孤子是唯一可观察到的行为。我们实现了单孤子的直接按需激发，这通过特征性“孤子阶跃”的逆转来表明。相位调制还可以对孤子脉冲串的特性进行精确的高带宽控制，并且我们测量的动力学与仿真非常吻合。我们表明，该技术可以通过次谐波相位调制扩展到高重复频率的Kerr孤子。这些结果将有助于直接为集成光子系统生成和控制Kerr孤子微梳。