Versatile optical frequency comb generators (ikv bilaterale samenwerking met China)

We aim at advancing the technology of Optical frequency combs (OFCs) generation in Vertical- (External)-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSELs and VECSELs) and fiber lasers, relying on the development of new optical materials and improved understanding of the physics underlying comb generation. VCESELs and fiber lasers with a saturable absorber (SA) can be mode-locked and/or can generate temporal solitons. In this project we will study such lasers with a new, two-dimensional (2D) SA and especially with black phosphorus (BP). BP consists of elemental phosphorous atoms, with a bandgap that is thickness dependent. Typical bandgap of BPs varies from 0.3 eV to 2.0 eV, corresponding to that the optical resonance wavelength ranges from 4 μm to 600 nm, which is critically important for broadband optoelectronic devices at optical communication band. In addition, we aim to demonstrate so called optical bullets, which are spatio-temporal solitons in vertical cavity structures. These are high risk endeavors but the potential gain in opening up new
application domains. To mitigate it, we rely on extended modeling of spatiotemporal dynamics using mean-field laser models that includes diffraction, dispersion, nonlinearity, and dissipation. Open questions regarding stability, dynamics and interactions of solitons, vector and bound soliton formation will be resolved and provide insight for experimental realizations.