360° Image Courtesy of Dan Axson, Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL), University of Sussex.

This line of research encompasses the evolution and complex dynamics of ultrafast optical pulses in optical guiding structures, such as optical fibres and integrated photonic waveguides, with the aim of developing new ultrashort optical pulse synthetization and characterization techniques as well as exploiting complex nonlinear optical processes.  

Micro-Resonators

Micro-resonators are millimetre size optical cavities. They are capable of confining large optical energies in few microns and are ideal devices to develop compact nonlinear optical systems.
In Evidence:

Check our recent theory on controlling slow and fast nonlinearities in optical micro-resonators.

Check our recent measurements on a self-pulsing laser based on a micro-resonator.  

Micro-Combs

Optical frequency combs are often described as a "ruler" that measures the frequency of light as opposed to distance. Optical frequency combs in micro-cavities represent an important breakthrough of the last decade.

Check out our review on the topic to know more about this!

 Together with ultraprecise atomic references, combs are a fundamental part of an optical atomic clock. The development of portable atomic clocks is a major quantum technology research theme at Sussex, which comprises the research of the ITCM group on portable calcium ion reference and our work on the miniaturisation of optical frequency combs. 

Our distinctive micro-comb technology employs a micro-resonator nested in a fibre laser, which results in broadband and robust micro-comb radiation. 

Check out our recent results on Type II micro-combs in our nested cavities configuration.

 We are very excited to have recently measured the first example of micro-combs based on laser cavity-solitons, which are the most efficient class of micro-combs demonstrated so far!

Check out our recent results on these laser cavity-solitons.

Artificial Intelligence in Integrated Nonlinear Photonics

Artificial intelligence is the frontier of our technology. Why not using it to create smarter optical devices?

In Evidence:

Check our recent results on the control of supercontinuum pulses with machine learning.