Advanced Optical Frequency Comb Technologies and Applications
Lead Research Organisation:
Aston University
Department Name: College of Engineering and Physical Sci
Abstract
Technologies underpin economic and industrial advances and improvements in healthcare, education and societal and public infrastructure. Technologies of the future depend on scientific breakthroughs of the past and present, including new knowledge bases, ideas, and concepts. The proposed international network of interdisciplinary centre-to-centre collaborations aims to drive scientific and technological progress by advancing and developing a new science platform for emerging technology - the optical frequency comb (OFC) with a range of practical applications of high industrial and societal importance in telecommunications, metrology, healthcare, environmental applications, bio-medicine, food industry and agri-tech and many other applications.
The optical frequency comb is a breakthrough photonic technology that has already revolutionised a range of scientific and industrial fields. In the family of OFC technologies, dual-comb spectroscopy plays a unique role as the most advanced platform combining the strengths of conventional spectroscopy and laser spectroscopy. Measurement techniques relying on multi-comb, mostly dual-comb and very recently tri-combs, offer the promise of exquisite accuracy and speed. The large majority of initial laboratory results originate from cavity-based approaches either using bulky powerful Ti:Sapphire lasers, or ultra-compact micro-resonators. While these technologies have many advantages, they also feature certain drawbacks for some applications. They require complex electronic active stabilisation schemes to phase-lock the different single-combs together, and the characteristics of the multi-comb source are not tuneable since they are severely dictated by the opto-geometrical parameters of the cavity. Thus, their repetition rates cannot be optimised to the decay rates of targeted samples, nor their relative repetition rates to sample the response of the medium. Such lack of versatility leads to speed and resolution limitations. These major constraints impact the development of these promising systems and make difficult their deployment outside the labs.
To drive OFC sources, and in particular, multi-comb source towards a tangible science-to-technology breakthrough, the current state of the art shows that a fundamental paradigm shift is required to achieve the needs of robustness, performance and versatility in repetition rates and/or comb optical characteristics as dictated by the diversity of applications. In this project we propose and explore new approaches to create flexible and tunable comb sources, based on original design concepts. The novelty and transformative nature of our programme is in addressing engineering challenges and designs treating nonlinearity as an inherent part of the engineering systems rather than as a foe. Using the unique opportunity provided by the EPSRC international research collaboration programme, this project will bring together a critical mass of academic and industrial partners with complimentary expertise ranging from nonlinear mathematics to industrial engineering to develop new concepts and ideas underpinning emerging and future OFC technologies.
The project will enhance UK capabilities in key strategic areas including optical communications, laser technology, metrology, and sensing, including the mid-IR spectral region, highly important for healthcare and environment applications, food, agri-tech and bio-medical applications. Such a wide-ranging and transformative project requires collaborative efforts of academic and industrial groups with complimentary expertise across these fields. There are currently no other UK projects addressing similar research challenges. Therefore, we believe that this project will make an important contribution to UK standing in this field of high scientific and industrial importance.
The optical frequency comb is a breakthrough photonic technology that has already revolutionised a range of scientific and industrial fields. In the family of OFC technologies, dual-comb spectroscopy plays a unique role as the most advanced platform combining the strengths of conventional spectroscopy and laser spectroscopy. Measurement techniques relying on multi-comb, mostly dual-comb and very recently tri-combs, offer the promise of exquisite accuracy and speed. The large majority of initial laboratory results originate from cavity-based approaches either using bulky powerful Ti:Sapphire lasers, or ultra-compact micro-resonators. While these technologies have many advantages, they also feature certain drawbacks for some applications. They require complex electronic active stabilisation schemes to phase-lock the different single-combs together, and the characteristics of the multi-comb source are not tuneable since they are severely dictated by the opto-geometrical parameters of the cavity. Thus, their repetition rates cannot be optimised to the decay rates of targeted samples, nor their relative repetition rates to sample the response of the medium. Such lack of versatility leads to speed and resolution limitations. These major constraints impact the development of these promising systems and make difficult their deployment outside the labs.
To drive OFC sources, and in particular, multi-comb source towards a tangible science-to-technology breakthrough, the current state of the art shows that a fundamental paradigm shift is required to achieve the needs of robustness, performance and versatility in repetition rates and/or comb optical characteristics as dictated by the diversity of applications. In this project we propose and explore new approaches to create flexible and tunable comb sources, based on original design concepts. The novelty and transformative nature of our programme is in addressing engineering challenges and designs treating nonlinearity as an inherent part of the engineering systems rather than as a foe. Using the unique opportunity provided by the EPSRC international research collaboration programme, this project will bring together a critical mass of academic and industrial partners with complimentary expertise ranging from nonlinear mathematics to industrial engineering to develop new concepts and ideas underpinning emerging and future OFC technologies.
The project will enhance UK capabilities in key strategic areas including optical communications, laser technology, metrology, and sensing, including the mid-IR spectral region, highly important for healthcare and environment applications, food, agri-tech and bio-medical applications. Such a wide-ranging and transformative project requires collaborative efforts of academic and industrial groups with complimentary expertise across these fields. There are currently no other UK projects addressing similar research challenges. Therefore, we believe that this project will make an important contribution to UK standing in this field of high scientific and industrial importance.
Organisations
- Aston University (Lead Research Organisation)
- Insensys Ltd (Collaboration)
- University of Lille (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- University of Côte d'Azur (Collaboration)
- NKT Holding (Denmark) (Project Partner)
- Université Côte d'Azur (Project Partner)
- Eblana Photonics (Ireland) (Project Partner)
- Branscan Ltd (Project Partner)
- Pilot Photonics (Ireland) (Project Partner)
- BAE Systems (United States) (Project Partner)
- Highways England (Project Partner)
- Thales (France) (Project Partner)
- Xtera Communications Limited (Project Partner)
- OFS (United States) (Project Partner)
- Arden Photonics (Project Partner)
Publications
Vassiliev V
(2023)
High Q-factor reconfigurable microresonators induced in side-coupled optical fibres.
in Light, science & applications
Sergeyev SV
(2022)
Polarization attractors driven by vector soliton rain.
in Optics express
Crespo-Ballesteros M.
(2022)
Optimized frequency comb spectrum of parametrically modulated bottle microresonators
in arXiv e-prints
Kbashi H
(2022)
Fast and slow optical rogue waves in the fiber laser
in Frontiers in Physics
Description | Harnessing vector soliton supramolecular structures |
Amount | £176,421 (GBP) |
Organisation | The Leverhulme Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2023 |
End | 10/2024 |
Description | Improving the energy efficiency of wind turbines |
Amount | £98,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Royal Academy of Engineering |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2023 |
End | 03/2025 |
Description | Instability-driven versatile mode-locked all-fibre lasers emitting in the short-wave infrared wavelength range |
Amount | £12,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | The International Exchange |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2023 |
End | 02/2025 |
Description | the British Council Women in STEM Scholarships programme for 2023-24 |
Amount | £180,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | WISF22-002 |
Organisation | British Council |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2023 |
End | 12/2024 |
Description | Colaboration with company Insensys (Sergey Sergeyev) |
Organisation | Insensys Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Knowledge and research exchange on optical freqency comb technologies for optical fibre sensing. |
Collaborator Contribution | Providing access for you to our state-of-the-art facilities on sensing technologies for the wind turbines blades condition monitoring |
Impact | Not yet |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | Collaboration with the Université Côte d'Azur |
Organisation | University of Côte d'Azur |
Country | France |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Research and Knowledge exchange |
Collaborator Contribution | Research and Knowledge exchange |
Impact | not yet |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Collaboration with the University de Lille |
Organisation | University of Lille |
Country | France |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Knowledge and research exchange |
Collaborator Contribution | Knowledge and research exchange |
Impact | Ongoing |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Beyond Ultra-wideband Optical Communications |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | This diverse and interactive workshop (in-person only) addressed the hurdles of transmission bandwidth limitations in optical communication systems, exploring solutions of broadening the bandwidth and increasing data capacity from various perspectives including device manufacturer and subsystem developer (e.g., II-VI), full system provider (e.g., Nokia), and research institutes (e.g., NIT, ORC, AiPT). Through keynote talks, interactive sharing sessions and networking opportunities, the workshop benefited the professional development of PhD students, early career researchers and practitioners, created a two-way flow of knowledge transfer, and provide an excellent platform to explore the application of Aston technology. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://events.astonphotonics.uk/uwb2022/#page-content |
Description | Integration of novel materials into silicon photonics |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Experts from academia and industry discussed recent advances on the integration of novel materials into silicon photonic platforms and presented the recent advances of the field. Also, they discussed the possible advantages and challenges posed by different materials - from quantum dots, to perovskites, to 2D-materials, etc. - and by different integration strategies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://mocca.astonphotonics.uk/workshop-integration-of-novel-materials-into-silicon-photonics/ |
Description | Invited paper/talk at the Photonics West 2023. Misha Sumetsky, Towards picometer precise fabrication of microresonators and resonant photonic circuits: the potential of the SNAP platform |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Misha Sumetsky, Towards picometer precise fabrication of microresonators and resonant photonic circuits: the potential of the SNAP platform |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://spie.org/photonics-west/presentation/Towards-picometer-precise-fabrication-of-microresonator... |
Description | Optical Frequency Combs Workshop at Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The workshop brought together leading researchers in the field of optical frequency combs science and technology to discuss its fundamentals, applications, and future opportunities. The topics covered included recent development of innovative sources based on lasers, waveguides and microresonators, novel nonlinear dynamics effects in optical resonators, and diverse applications of optical frequency combs in astronomy, quantum technologies, and photonic computing. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://events.astonphotonics.uk/comb2022/#page-content |
Description | Talk at the Photonics West 2023. Manuel Crespo, Misha Sumetsky, Parametrically excited frequency combs in a bottle microresonator: the effect of spatial distribution of modulation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Parametrically excited frequency combs in a bottle microresonator: the effect of spatial distribution of modulation, Manuel Crespo, Misha Sumetsky |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://spie.org/photonics-west/presentation/Parametrically-excited-frequency-combs-in-a-bottle-micr... |
Description | Talk at the Photonics West 2023. Translation and reconfiguration of SNAP microresonators using optofluidics |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Talk at the Photonics West Translation and reconfiguration of SNAP microresonators using optofluidics. Gabriella I. Gardosi, Misha Sumetsky |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://spie.org/photonics-west/presentation/Translation-and-reconfiguration-of-SNAP-microresonators... |
Description | Talk by Gabriella Gardosi at the conference "Women: Innovation, Technology, Strength" |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Gabriella Gardosi gave an invited talk at the conference 2023. Only 35% of STEM students in higher education and only 23% of STEM workforce in the UK are women. Only one in three UK entrepreneurs is female, and only 6% of UK women run their own businesses. If more girls stayed in technology and engineering, what would they be designing and creating for our future use? If more more women run businesses, how would this benefit the UK economy ? An extraordinary conference dedicated to International Women's Day to talk about women in innovation, technology and entrepreneurship, what drives them, and the ideas they bring to life. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/women-innovation-technology-strength-tickets-476352782997 |
Description | Talk/invited paper at the Photonics West 2023. Misha Sumetsky, Parametrically excited microcombs: racetrack vs. SNAP bottle microresonators |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Parametrically excited microcombs: racetrack vs. SNAP bottle microresonators, Misha Sumetsky |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://spie.org/photonics-west/presentation/Parametrically-excited-microcombs-racetrack-vs-SNAP-bot... |
Description | Website of the project |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Website of the project with all information about related publications, news, etc. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://combs.astonphotonics.uk |
Description | Workshop "Current and future trends for optical communication systems" |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | 2-day workshop on 'Current and future trends for optical communication systems' Topics: 1. Practical Implementation and Network Applications of Non -Fourier Transform 2. ML Methods for Ultra-Wide Band Systems 3. ML and AI Applied to MB Optical Communication 7-8 April 2022, Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and online Event website: https://dtu-workshop.astonphotonics.uk |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://dtu-workshop.astonphotonics.uk |