The researchers combined this laser with a 50 gigahertz electro-optic modulator to develop a high-power transmitter. (Image Credit: Second Bay Studios/Harvard SEAS)
Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) created the first-ever high-powered laser transmitter on a lithium niobate chip. This new integration could lead to high-powered telecommunication systems, optical remote sensing, efficient frequency conversion for quantum networks, and integrated spectrometers.
"Integrated lithium niobate photonics is a promising platform for the development of high-performance chip-scale optical systems, but getting a laser onto a lithium niobate chip has proved to be one of the biggest design challenges," said Marko Loncar, senior author of the study. "In this research, we used all the nano-fabrication tricks and techniques learned from previous developments in integrated lithium niobate photonics to overcome those challenges and achieve the goal of integrating a high-powered laser on a thin-film lithium niobate platform."
The team integrated small yet powerful feedback lasers on their chip. These lasers are situated in small trenches carved into the lithium niobate and can supply 60 milliwatts of optical power in the waveguides created in the same platform. By combining the laser with a 50 gigahertz electro-optic modulator in lithium niobate, the team was able to produce a high-power transmitter.
"Integrating high-performance plug-and-play lasers would significantly reduce the cost, complexity, and power consumption of future communication systems," said Amirhassan Shams-Ansari, a graduate student at SEAS and the first author of the study. "It's a building block that can be integrated into larger optical systems for a range of applications, in sensing, lidar, and data telecommunications."
This newly developed device, achieved through an industry-friendly process, could pave the way toward large-scale, inexpensive, and powerful transmitter arrays along with optical networks. The team's next goal is to boost the laser's power and scalability for additional applications.
Have a story tip? Message me at: http://twitter.com/Cabe_Atwell