Time Crystals in Actively Mode-locked Lasers
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arXiv
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
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| _version_ | 1866918139133952000 |
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| author | Weng, Ruiling Koch, Elias R. Yelo-Sarrión, Jesús Batle, Josep Broderick, Neil G. R. Javaloyes, Julien Gurevich, Svetlana V. |
| author_facet | Weng, Ruiling Koch, Elias R. Yelo-Sarrión, Jesús Batle, Josep Broderick, Neil G. R. Javaloyes, Julien Gurevich, Svetlana V. |
| contents | We report the first experimental observation of discrete time-crystal phases and crystallites in an actively mode-locked semiconductor laser. By tuning either the bias current or the modulation frequency, the system undergoes a spontaneous symmetry-breaking transition from the harmonically mode-locked state towards robust, highly coherent time-crystal states that persist indefinitely. Two equivalent time-crystal configurations, shifted by one driving period, can coexist as domains separated by sharp, long-lived boundaries analogous to domain walls. The phenomenon is quantitatively reproduced by a time-delayed model adapted to the large gain and losses of semiconductor systems. Our findings demonstrate that mode-locked semiconductor lasers offer a readily accessible platform to explore and control non-equilibrium phases of light, enabling practical implementations of time-crystal physics in photonic systems. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_09230 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Time Crystals in Actively Mode-locked Lasers Weng, Ruiling Koch, Elias R. Yelo-Sarrión, Jesús Batle, Josep Broderick, Neil G. R. Javaloyes, Julien Gurevich, Svetlana V. Optics We report the first experimental observation of discrete time-crystal phases and crystallites in an actively mode-locked semiconductor laser. By tuning either the bias current or the modulation frequency, the system undergoes a spontaneous symmetry-breaking transition from the harmonically mode-locked state towards robust, highly coherent time-crystal states that persist indefinitely. Two equivalent time-crystal configurations, shifted by one driving period, can coexist as domains separated by sharp, long-lived boundaries analogous to domain walls. The phenomenon is quantitatively reproduced by a time-delayed model adapted to the large gain and losses of semiconductor systems. Our findings demonstrate that mode-locked semiconductor lasers offer a readily accessible platform to explore and control non-equilibrium phases of light, enabling practical implementations of time-crystal physics in photonic systems. |
| title | Time Crystals in Actively Mode-locked Lasers |
| topic | Optics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.09230 |