Photonic timing-engineered solitons for dual-microcomb metrology

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Wang, Zihao, Li, Guoliang, Liu, Changrui, Hu, Yue, Zhong, Zeying, Yang, Changxi, Liu, Junqiu, Bao, Chengying
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2026
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author Wang, Zihao
Li, Guoliang
Liu, Changrui
Hu, Yue
Zhong, Zeying
Yang, Changxi
Liu, Junqiu
Bao, Chengying
author_facet Wang, Zihao
Li, Guoliang
Liu, Changrui
Hu, Yue
Zhong, Zeying
Yang, Changxi
Liu, Junqiu
Bao, Chengying
contents Dissipative microcavity solitons offer a route to integrate comb-based metrology systems on photonic chips. However, integrated solitons generally lack agile control of comb parameters, particularly pulse timing control, hindering their application in quantum-limited metrology. Here we introduce dynamical soliton trapping to enable optically timing-engineered microcombs (OTEM). By injecting an auxiliary laser to anchor one of the microcomb lines, we create a potential well to trap and steer the soliton. Thus, soliton timing can be engineered by phase modulating the injected laser. Theory and measurement reveal the fast response bandwidth of the OTEM, which enabled a soliton slew rate of 31.3 ps/$μ$s, surpassing existing time-programmable fiber laser combs by more than two orders of magnitude. Leveraging the timing scan, we used a single OTEM for single-pixel and parallel ranging by retrieving the phase of the multi-heterodyne beat spectrum. Picometer-scale ranging precision was achieved, establishing new record for optical absolute ranging. Our work can transform timing-engineering of microcavity solitons and endow integrated dual-microcomb metrology systems with enhanced precision.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_20582
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Photonic timing-engineered solitons for dual-microcomb metrology
Wang, Zihao
Li, Guoliang
Liu, Changrui
Hu, Yue
Zhong, Zeying
Yang, Changxi
Liu, Junqiu
Bao, Chengying
Optics
Dissipative microcavity solitons offer a route to integrate comb-based metrology systems on photonic chips. However, integrated solitons generally lack agile control of comb parameters, particularly pulse timing control, hindering their application in quantum-limited metrology. Here we introduce dynamical soliton trapping to enable optically timing-engineered microcombs (OTEM). By injecting an auxiliary laser to anchor one of the microcomb lines, we create a potential well to trap and steer the soliton. Thus, soliton timing can be engineered by phase modulating the injected laser. Theory and measurement reveal the fast response bandwidth of the OTEM, which enabled a soliton slew rate of 31.3 ps/$μ$s, surpassing existing time-programmable fiber laser combs by more than two orders of magnitude. Leveraging the timing scan, we used a single OTEM for single-pixel and parallel ranging by retrieving the phase of the multi-heterodyne beat spectrum. Picometer-scale ranging precision was achieved, establishing new record for optical absolute ranging. Our work can transform timing-engineering of microcavity solitons and endow integrated dual-microcomb metrology systems with enhanced precision.
title Photonic timing-engineered solitons for dual-microcomb metrology
topic Optics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.20582