波谱学杂志, 2026, 43(1): 104-113   doi: 10.11938/cjmr20253167  

研究论文

基于FPGA的Kerr光孤子频率梳主动控制系统实现

刘康琦1,2,3, 李晨虹1,2,3, 曲明飞1,2,3, 王鹏飞1,2, 赵峰1,2, 康松柏,1,2,*

1.中国科学院精密测量科学与技术创新研究院湖北 武汉 430071

2.中国科学院原子频标重点实验室湖北 武汉 430071

3.中国科学院大学北京 100049

Implementation of an Active Control System for Kerr Optical Soliton Frequency Comb Based on FPGA

LIU Kangqi1,2,3, LI Chenhong1,2,3, QU Mingfei1,2,3, WANG Pengfei1,2, ZHAO Feng1,2, KANG Songbai,1,2,*

1. Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China

2. Key Laboratory of Atomic Frequency Standards, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China

3. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

通讯作者: Tel: 15871777484, E-mail:kangsongbai@wipm.ac.cn.

收稿日期: 2025-05-19   网络出版日期: 2025-07-01

Corresponding authors: Tel: 15871777484, E-mail:kangsongbai@wipm.ac.cn.

Received: 2025-05-19   Online: 2025-07-01

摘要

Kerr光孤子频率梳因具备毫米级尺寸、低阈值泵浦光功率等特点,是目前芯片级光频原子钟研究的热点技术之一.Kerr光孤子形成过程中腔内功率骤降,热效应引起的腔频漂移会显著缩短Kerr光孤子频率梳的寿命.目前已有孤子功率控制、Pound-Drever-Hall(PDH)锁频技术以及辅助激光模式等多种主动控制方法来长时稳定Kerr光孤子的研究报道,但是应用于这些方案的电子学控制系统研究则鲜有报道.本文开发一种基于现场可编程逻辑门阵列(Field-Programmable Gate Array, FPGA)的Kerr光孤子频率梳的主动控制系统,并通过孤子功率控制和PDH频率控制两种主动控制方法,分别在MgF2和CaF2微腔中实现了Kerr光孤子频率梳长时间稳定.该控制系统也可以用于其他微腔光梳平台(如Si3N4、AlN、SiO2)的Kerr光孤子频率梳产生与稳定.

关键词: Kerr光孤子频率梳; 主动控制; 现场可编程逻辑门阵列

Abstract

Due to their millimeter-scale size and low pump power threshold, Kerr optical soliton frequency combs have emerged as a key technology for chip-scale optical atomic clock research. However, the abrupt intracavity power drop during Kerr optical soliton formation leads to cavity frequency drift, which significantly shortens the lifetime of Kerr optical soliton frequency combs. Some active control methods have been reported for long-term stabilization of Kerr solitons, such as soliton power control, Pound-Drever-Hall frequency locking, and auxiliary laser mode. However, the electronic control systems used for these methods are rarely reported. This work presents an active control system for stabilizing Kerr optical soliton frequency combs based on Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). It achieves long-term stable operation of Kerr optical soliton combs in both MgF₂ and CaF₂ microresonators by power control and PDH frequency locking. Furthermore, the system can be extended to other microresonator platforms (e.g., Si₃N₄, AlN, SiO₂) for Kerr optical soliton frequency generation and stabilization.

Keywords: Kerr optical soliton frequency comb; active control; field-programmable gate array (FPGA)

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本文引用格式

刘康琦, 李晨虹, 曲明飞, 王鹏飞, 赵峰, 康松柏. 基于FPGA的Kerr光孤子频率梳主动控制系统实现[J]. 波谱学杂志, 2026, 43(1): 104-113 doi:10.11938/cjmr20253167

LIU Kangqi, LI Chenhong, QU Mingfei, WANG Pengfei, ZHAO Feng, KANG Songbai. Implementation of an Active Control System for Kerr Optical Soliton Frequency Comb Based on FPGA[J]. Chinese Journal of Magnetic Resonance, 2026, 43(1): 104-113 doi:10.11938/cjmr20253167

引言

作为光频原子钟的重要组成部分,光学频率梳可将光频参考输出的激光相干下转换至射频微波信号,使其具光频参考相同的性能.近些年来,一种利用连续光激光器与超高Q值回音壁微腔产生克尔(Kerr)非线性效应生成的Kerr光孤子频率梳成为研究热点[1].Kerr光孤子频率梳由于具有微小尺寸、低功耗功率等特点也被认为实现为芯片级光频原子钟的关键技术之一.单孤子态光学频率梳由于具有平坦光滑的频谱特性以及梳齿频率之间的高相干性等特点而成为理想的光学频率梳状态.但热效应是导致Kerr光孤子频率梳无法稳定的重要因素.在光孤子形成过程中,腔内激光功率的突变会通过非线性吸收引发瞬时热变化,从而导致微腔温度急剧波动,进而通过热效应引起腔谐振频率变化,最终使得腔频和泵浦光之间的失谐量脱离光孤子适存范围而使得已产生的光孤子丢失.目前已有孤子功率控制、Pound-Drever-Hall(PDH)频率控制以及辅助激光模式等多种主动控制的方案[2]来稳定Kerr光孤子研究报道.表1总结了目前常用的微腔产生Kerr光孤子的方法[3],这些方法通常可以确保Kerr光孤子稳定存在数小时以上,并可对生成的Kerr光孤子频率梳进行光谱测量.但是对于实现这些方案的电子学控制系统研究则鲜有报道.

表1   不同微腔产生Kerr光孤子频率梳的方法[3]

Table 1  Methods for generating Kerr soliton frequency combs with different miniature ring cavities

微腔材料产生Kerr光孤子频率梳的方法
MgF2快速扫频、Power-Kicking
SiO2相位调制脉冲泵、Power-Kicking
Si3N4扫频、热调谐、相位调制脉冲泵、Power-Kicking、输入锁定、压点调谐
LiNbO3光折变
SiON热调谐、辅助光
AlN快速扫频、辅助模式
AlGaS快速扫频

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在本文中,我们实现了一种基于现场可编程逻辑门阵列(Field Programable Gate Array,FPGA)的Kerr光孤子频率梳主动控制系统,该主动控制系统以激光频率控制作为主动稳定控制方式,通过高精度信号采集以及高速、低延迟信号处理算法实现Kerr光孤子信号的准确捕获并在Kerr光孤子产生后通过伺服系统主动调节泵浦激光频率来抑制Kerr光孤子产生后的热致失稳,从而无需使用复杂的外部光学系统以及其他辅助系统即可实现Kerr光孤子频率梳的产生与长时间稳定,从而为Kerr光孤子频率梳的应用探索具有可行性与可集成化的方法.

1 Kerr光孤子频率梳的产生过程与热效应

1.1 Kerr光孤子产生的物理机制

Kerr光孤子的形成是微腔中非线性效应(也称Kerr效应)与色散效应动态平衡以及连续光泵浦增益与腔的损耗动态平衡的结果,其核心物理过程可基于Lugiato-Lefever(LLE)方程进行描述[4,5].微腔具有极高的Q值(通常可达到107以上),当低功率连续激光耦合进入光学微腔时,微腔内的光场因共振增强效应被显著放大,微腔内产生三阶非线性效应[6],其中包括自相位调制(Self-Phase Modulation,SPM)、交叉相位调制(Cross-Phase Modulation,XPM)与四波混频(Four-Wave-Mixing,FWM)等效应.SPM和XPM与微腔的非线性折射率相关,两者在微腔内相互影响,并用于抵消反常色散的线性展宽效应.当相位调制和色散相位匹配时,FWM产生新频率[7].当微腔中的Kerr效应与色散效应达到动态平衡时,在时域上形成稳定的双曲平方正割sech2型孤子脉冲,其形成的光场包络为双曲正割型[4]

$\psi (t)=\sqrt{2{\xi }_{0}}\text{sech}\left(\frac{t}{\Delta t}\right)$

其中,${\xi }_{0}=\frac{2({\omega }_{0}-{\omega }_{\text{P}})}{\kappa }$为归一化失谐量,与微腔谐振频率${\omega }_{0}$和泵浦光角频率${\omega }_{\text{p}}$差值以及微腔的耗散系数$\kappa $有关,而$\Delta t=\frac{1}{{D}_{1}}\sqrt{\frac{{d}_{2}}{{\xi }_{0}}}$为孤子脉冲宽度,其中$\frac{{D}_{1}}{2\pi }$即为微腔谐振频率${\omega }_{0}$时微腔的自由光谱程(Free Spectral Range,FSR),${d}_{2}=\frac{{D}_{2}}{\kappa }$为无量纲色散,${D}_{2}$为二阶色散系数,同样与FSR有关.而在频域上,表现为等间隔的频率梳,其光谱可表示为[4]

$\psi (\mu)=\sqrt{\frac{{d}_{2}}{2}}\text{sech}\left(\frac{\pi \mu }{2}\sqrt{\frac{{d}_{2}}{{\xi }_{0}}}\right)$

该光学频率梳的梳齿间隔同样为FSR.$\text{FSR}=\frac{c}{{n}_{\text{g}}L}$,其中c为光速,${n}_{\text{g}}$为群折射率,L为微腔的周长,对于给定的微腔尺寸,其产生的Kerr孤子频率梳的梳齿间隔也即唯一确定[8]图1为MgF2微腔产生Kerr光孤子光梳的频谱仿真图,其包络为光滑的双曲正割曲线.由于Kerr光梳由泵浦激光所产生,故泵浦光波长对应的梳齿具有最高的功率.

图1

图1   MgF2微腔产生Kerr光孤子频率梳频谱仿真结果图

Fig. 1   Simulation of the single Kerr optical soliton frequency comb spectrum generated by MgF2 microcavity


1.2 Kerr光孤子产生过程

Kerr光孤子的产生起始于腔内出现除泵浦激光频率以外的频率分量,即调制不稳定性状态(MI状态).当泵浦光功率增大到一定程度时,微小扰动都会引起参量放大,且非线性参量增益大于腔的损耗,故泵浦频率两侧对称位置会产生边带.由LLE方程临界条件可以求出当非线性参量增益等于腔的损耗时微腔内泵浦激光功率的阈值功率,即[9]

${P}_{TH}=\frac{{\omega }_{0}{n}_{0}^{2}{V}_{\text{eff}}}{8\eta c{n}_{2}{Q}^{2}}$

其中,c为光速,${n}_{0}^{}$为微腔的材料折射率,${n}_{2}$为非线性系数,${V}_{\text{eff}}$为有效模式体积,$\eta $为耦合效率.因此微腔的Q值越高,所需的阈值功率则越小.而当泵浦激光功率继续增加时,微腔内会进一步产生更多的初级边带并随着功率持续增大而产生次级边带.这些初级边带之间的频率间隔为FSR的整数倍,称之为图灵模式,而次级边带的出现会使得图灵模式不再稳定,而当次级边带随着泵浦功率继续增大而出现重叠,最终成为MI状态[9-11].而当激光频率由蓝失谐(${\omega }_{\text{p}}>{\omega }_{\text{0}}$)变化为红失谐(${\omega }_{\text{p}}<{\omega }_{\text{0}}$)时,此时,失谐量${\xi }_{0}>0$,MI状态则会演化成为稳定的Kerr孤子态,但腔内可能存在单个或多个孤子态.由LLE方程可以求解出Kerr光孤子存在的最大失谐量为[4]

${\xi }_{0}^{\mathrm{max}}=\frac{{\pi }^{2}g\eta {P}_{\text{in}}}{{\kappa }^{2}\hslash {\omega }_{0}}$

其中g为非线性耦合系数,${P}_{\text{in}}$为输入泵浦光功率.而当单Kerr光孤子产生后,只需要保证${\xi }_{0}<{\xi }_{0}^{\mathrm{max}}$即可使得微腔内产生的Kerr光孤子保持稳定.

1.3 热效应及其影响

当高功率泵浦激光耦合进入微腔后,腔内光功率变化会产生导致微腔的温度发生变化,受热光(Thermo-optic,TO)效应以及热膨胀(Thermal-expansion,TE)效应,从而导致微腔的谐振频率发生变化.其中TO效应主要发生在光模式体积区域,而TE效应则受整体温度影响变化,故分别用$\Delta {T}_{1}$$\Delta {T}_{2}$来表征两者差别,因此可以得到热效应对腔共振波长的影响[12]

$\Delta \lambda ={\lambda }_{0}\left(\frac{\text{d}{n}_{0}}{\text{d}{T}_{1}}\frac{\Delta {T}_{1}}{{n}_{0}}+\epsilon \Delta {T}_{2}\right)$

其中,${\lambda }_{0}$对应于冷腔状态的谐振波长,$\frac{\text{d}{n}_{0}}{\text{d}{T}_{1}}$为TO效应系数,$\epsilon $为TE效应系数,${n}_{0}$为腔的折射率.当微腔由MI态转入Kerr光孤子态时,腔内功率呈现阶跃式的急剧下降,腔谐振频率在热的作用下蓝移,而失谐增大会进一步导致腔内功率降低,从而导致失谐量迅速变化,最终使得Kerr光孤子快速脱离适存区,存在时间大幅缩短.故要使得Kerr光孤子长期稳定存在,需要在腔内功率急剧变化时仍然保证${\xi }_{0}<{\xi }_{0}^{\mathrm{max}}$

2 Kerr光孤子频率梳主动控制系统

图2展示了本实验室已有的微腔Kerr光孤子频率梳实验平台使用MgF2微腔产生Kerr光孤子时腔内信号变化过程.图2中的台阶信号表示腔内产生了Kerr光孤子,台阶信号丢失则表明Kerr光孤子消失.经过光学系统以激光器频率扫描速率优化后,台阶信号的维持时间通常为数百μs(本系统中典型值为300 μs,且存在时间不稳定),而腔内信号产生至消失整个过程约为3 ms,且在MI态时,信号存在显著的“噪声”,这就要求系统必须在数十μs内根据腔内信号来准确判断是否产生Kerr光孤子,并在确定产生单光孤子后立即将激光器频率由扫描输出迅速转换为主动反馈输出,从而维持Kerr光孤子存在状态.在主动稳定过程中,还需要对单孤子态信号进行监测,当光孤子消失时,则需要立即重新进行扫描,对腔进行加热操作,并重新搜索孤子态信号,对系统信号处理的速率要求较高.故采用FPGA这一广泛应用于物理领域的处理器[13-15]作为数字信号处理单元,而腔内功率信号采集以及激光器反馈控制信号输出则通过具有较高精度的模数转换器(Analog to Digital Convertor,ADC)和数模转换器(Digital to Analog Convertor,DAC)实现.以下将详细介绍控制系统的硬件电路与固件程序.

图2

图2   MgF2微腔产生Kerr光孤子过程时腔内功率信号

Fig. 2   The power inside the MgF2 micro-cavity during the generation of Kerr optical solitons


2.1 硬件电路设计

Kerr光孤子频率梳主动控制系统实物图如图3所示,硬件电路采用核心板+扩展板的模式进行设计.核心板主要布置了一块FPGA以及FPGA正常工作所需的电源系统、程序存储器以及与上位机通信的USB 2.0高速通信电路,FPGA的IO接口以及+3.3 V接口电源则通过3组接插件引出.扩展板则布置有两路采用18位中速ADC构成的信号采集电路以及两路18位DAC构成的输出电路.其中一路采集通道用于采集微腔的腔内功率信号以实现对Kerr光孤子台阶电平信号检测,另一路采集通道采集PDH误差信号用于实现失谐量的检测和锁定[16];而输出通道则主要用于输出电压信号反馈环路执行器件,例如控制激光器频率或功率以及用于其他器件的辅助输出控制.所有转换器的数据接口均为并行LVCMOS总线,并通过接插件直接连接至FPGA的IO接口,信号采集电路与模拟输出电路均采用具有低温度系数的带隙基准源作为转换器的参考电压,同时采用电流缓冲输出电路来避免转换器工作时电流波动引起基准源输出电压波动.

图3

图3   Kerr光孤子频率梳主动控制系统结构框图与实物图

Fig. 3   Block diagram and picture of the active control system for Kerr optical soliton frequency comb


图2可知,当Kerr光孤子产生时,腔内存在由热引起的突变信号,故采样系统需要对该阶跃信号具有较快的响应速度.ADC采样时钟频率为1 MHz,为满足采样系统抗混叠要求,采样电路前端低通滤波器-3 dB响应带宽设置为当前采样率下抗混叠滤波器的最大带宽,即390 kHz,信号输入电压范围为-2 V ~ + 2 V,电压分辨率为15.6 μV,可以满足腔内功率信号中多孤子态和单孤子态的分辨要求,从而可有效的检测到单孤子态电平信号.模拟输出电路需要与激光器的频率调节端口的操作电压范围进行适配,实验室采用的激光器外部电压调节范围为0 ~ +5 V,对应的频率变化范围为3 GHz,故模数输出电路对激光器频率调节最小步进为11.5 kHz,远低于Kerr光孤子适存的失谐量范围(适存失谐量通常为MHz量级).由于信号采样率为1 MHz,远低于FPGA核心板的主时钟100 MHz,故FPGA内信号处理时间可忽略不计,且该系统硬件延迟为1 μs,即一个采样周期,对应最大反馈带宽可达到375 kHz,远大于激光器调谐带宽.同样地,系统检测到孤子态产生至启动激光器频率控制的传播时间亦为1 μs,远小于Kerr光孤子存在时间.

2.2 FPGA程序设计

Kerr光孤子频率梳主动控制程序主要根据Kerr光孤子产生过程中对激光频率控制要求以及腔内信号变化过程进行设计.由于孤子产生过程的状态有限,而且每个过程状态都有明确功率信号作为判断条件,故使用有限状态机模型来设计FPGA程序.主动控制过程可分为以下三个状态过程:

(1)连续扫描.控制系统产生连续三角波或者锯齿波来控制激光器的频率进行往复线性变化,而通过连续长时间恒定周期的扫描过程来使得腔内的温度达到相对稳定.在连续扫描过程中,借助示波器对此时腔内功率信号进行判断,从而选择最优的模式来产生具有较长时间自由稳定状态的光孤子作为最终产生光学频率梳的孤子态,同时通过进一步优化扫描速率等参数来延长该状态下的孤子生存时间;

(2)孤子信号检测.该过程与连续扫描过程类似,但采样系统需要对腔内信号进行采样并进行信号处理.检测时扫描信号形状、周期与幅度保持不变,而每个扫描周期孤子态产生时的状态存在差异,可能存在多孤子态干扰检测,而当系统在某个扫描周期内检测到稳定的光孤子信号后,则认定当前微腔内已产生光孤子,扫描过程自动转为主动稳定过程;

(3)主动稳定.主动稳定过程主要通过PDH锁定误差信号或Kerr光孤子电平信号作为激光器频率反馈控制的误差源,通过数字伺服单元调节激光器的频率,使得激光器频率与微腔频率间的失谐量保持相对稳定,从而延长Kerr光孤子的存在时间.考虑到主动稳定过程中孤子态会由于环境变化等因素导致孤子丢失,此时需要立即停止反馈控制,并恢复至扫描状态,重新使得微腔内温度稳定后重新搜索孤子态信号.

由上述过程状态划分可知,Kerr光孤子主动控制程序的关键是准确检测Kerr孤子态以及使用不同方式来开启主动稳定.接下来将分别介绍孤子搜索程序与主动稳定程序设计.

2.2.1 孤子搜索程序设计

孤子搜索程序主要用于检索采样信号中单孤子态信号,当检测到单孤子信号后需要立即停止激光器频率扫描,并转为主动稳定控制状态.对孤子产生过程的信号分析可知,对于确定模式,其单孤子态对应的腔内功率信号幅度不受产生过程差异影响,即只要最终产生单孤子态,其信号幅度几乎一致,因此当系统采样分辨率足够时,可采用阈值检测方式判断是否产生Kerr光孤子,即根据连续扫描时优化得到的最优单孤子态的电平区间设定阈值检测范围VKTHLVKTHH即可实现对Kerr光孤子的准确识别.而由Kerr光孤子产生的条件可知,激光器频率需要由蓝失谐扫描至红失谐,且需要经历MI态才可以产生Kerr光孤子,为避免蓝失谐侧腔内信号影响光孤子信号检测,在进行孤子信号检测前采用数字式迟滞比较器对蓝失谐侧信号进行处理,即按腔内功率信号的变化顺序增加两个阈值VTH1VTH2并采用时间顺序检测方式使得两个阈值检测过程依次满足输入的腔内信号VinVTH1VinVTH2.由于VTH2 < VTH1,故当迟滞比较器输出有效时,表明激光频移由蓝失谐处进入红失谐处,且该状态具有唯一性,随即可进行Kerr孤子信号检测.信号处理过程中各阈值设置示意图如图4所示.阈值检测可以判断腔内是否产生单孤子态,但无法判断其是否稳定,故进一步采用计数检测方式来判断孤子态是否达到稳定,即当输入信号Vin连续N个采样值均落入阈值检测区间时,可判定当前处于稳定的单孤子态.ADC采样周期为1 μs,检测点数N为设定值(通常为数十至100左右,通常设定为扫描时孤子台阶长度的1/4),当连续N个检测点后孤子信号仍然存在时则表明单孤子态至少维持数十μs至100 μs,可进行主动稳定,而在计数检测时间内单孤子态丢失则表明本次产生的Kerr光孤子适存时间较短,此时激光器继续维持扫描状态,并在下一周期重新检索孤子信号.

图4

图4   Kerr光孤子信号检测过程阈值设定示意图

Fig. 4   Schematic of threshold for Kerr optical soliton signal detect


由于孤子产生仅在激光频率由蓝失谐侧向红失谐侧扫描产生,故激光频率回扫时需要对前半周期检测结果进行复位,从而在下一周期重新进行检测.

2.2.2 主动稳定程序设计

Kerr光孤子主动稳定方法采用在单Kerr孤子态稳定存在后通过泵浦激光器频率进行伺服控制实现单孤子的长时间稳定,即将激光频率与微腔谐振频率之间的失谐量进行锁定,使其始终处于Kerr孤子适存区间.伺服控制算法采用增量式比例-积分-微分(Proportional Integral Derivative,PID)算法,而指示这一失谐量的误差信号通常可采用泵浦激光经电光调制器(Electro-Optic Modulator,EOM)产生的+1阶边带产生PDH误差信号(Offset-PDH锁定法),理论上该方法可以实现失谐量的精准锁定,但需要Kerr光孤子能稳定存在直至误差信号在热的作用下“滑动”到0 V附近才能开启主动控制,故误差信号“滑动”过程中热效应变化引起的腔频变化较为缓慢.此外,由于每个扫描周期产生单孤子态时都并非直接由MI态直接产生,有可能经历多孤子态的演变过程,故需要确保误差信号的0 V点能稳定的对应单孤子态;而由于泵浦激光频率被调制,Kerr光孤子频率梳产生时其frep信号会存在调制边带.

针对Offset-PDH锁定法应用的局限性,根据MgF2微腔产生的Kerr单孤子态信号电平特性(如图2插图所示),我们提出了基于孤子态电平信号幅度锁定的电平锁定法.该方法相比Offset-PDH锁定法具有以下优势:

(1)无需EOM对泵浦光进行调制以及对腔内信号进行解调,整个系统更为简单;

(2)当检测到单孤子态稳定产生后即可立即开反馈控制,降低主动控制程序启动延迟.

需要注意的是,该方法要求单孤子态的腔内电平具有指示特性(如MgF2微腔),且光电探测器输出电压的准确性以及漂移也可能对长时锁定产生影响.考虑到硬件系统具备的两路信号采集通道可同时采集腔内功率信号以及PDH误差信号,故在FPGA程序设计中同时部署上述两种锁定方法,并可通过实际工作时Kerr孤子态信号特性选择,进一步提升主动控制系统的通用性.

3 实验结果

主动控制系统的验证实验采用了本实验室已搭建的MgF2微腔以及CaF2微腔晶体微腔的测试平台.需要强调的是,在实验中,所有实验平台仅使用带隔音棉包裹的亚克力罩对微腔进行防尘与隔振处理,未使用任何主动温度控制装置或其他辅助控制手段.其中MgF2微腔采用电平锁定法验证主动控制系统的工作状态以及检测算法是否准确,主动控制过程信号变化如图5所示.可以看出,通过设定合适的阈值电平以及光孤子态检测时间,主动控制系统可以准确搜索到单孤子态信号,并通过泵浦激光频率调节将腔内功率信号锁定至设定的孤子台阶电平范围内,从而实现单Kerr光孤子的长时间稳定,由于此时Kerr光孤子频率梳并未与光频参考或射频参考进行锁定,故仅通过检测孤子态电平信号来表征Kerr光孤子频率梳是否稳定.从图5可以看出,Kerr光孤子频率梳稳定后,其电平信号相较于图4已延长至500 ms以上.而进一步通过示波器信号观测可知稳定时间由之前的数百μs延长至数小时,若所处环境状态相对稳定时,其稳定时间可实现大于24小时.

图5

图5   MgF2微腔产生Kerr光孤子的主动控制过程信号变化

Fig. 5   The signal variations during the active control process of Kerr optical soliton generation in MgF2 micro-cavity


进一步采用PDH锁定法分别对MgF2微腔以及CaF2微腔验证Kerr光孤子频率梳的产生与稳定,由于CaF2的TO效应系数与MgF2相反,孤子态电平几乎没有明显的观测斜率,故仅能使用Offset-PDH锁定法来稳定CaF2晶体微腔的Kerr光孤子.实验结果如图6所示.

图6

图6   (a) MgF2微腔Kerr光孤子产生时腔内功率信号以及PDH误差信号;(b) MgF2微腔产生Kerr光孤子频率梳的光谱;(c) CaF2微腔Kerr光孤子产生时腔内功率信号以及PDH误差信号;(d) CaF2微腔产生Kerr光孤子频率梳的光谱

Fig. 6   (a) Intracavity power signal and PDH error signal when Kerr optical solitons are generated in MgF2 microcavity; (b) Spectrum of Kerr optical soliton frequency comb generated by MgF2 microcavity; (c) Intracavity power signal and PDH error signal when Kerr optical solitons are generated in CaF2 microcavity; (d) Spectrum of Kerr optical soliton frequency comb generated by CaF2 microcavity


图6的光谱测量结果表明,主动控制系统可以通过Offset-PDH法分别对MgF2微腔以及CaF2微腔产生的Kerr光孤子进行失谐量锁定.锁定后的Kerr光孤子频率梳根据示波器电平信号观测同样可实现稳定时长大于24小时,且锁定后均可对Kerr光孤子频率梳的光谱进行测量.需要说明的是,光谱测量采用的是微腔的透射光,故其泵浦激光频率处具有较高的梳齿功率,其中MgF2微腔产生的Kerr光孤子频率梳的光谱包络较为光滑,形状为双曲正割型曲线(如图6(b)所示);但CaF2微腔产生Kerr光孤子频率梳的包络并非双曲正割线型(如图6(d)所示),其主要原因是受零色散点(CaF2微腔的在1 550 nm附近,十分接近于采用的1 560 nm泵浦激光)和拉曼效应的影响[17].

4 结论

本文设计并实现了基于FPGA的Kerr光孤子频率梳主动稳定控制系统.该系统对不同微腔产生的Kerr光孤子频率梳在未使用任何主动温度控制装置或其他辅助控制手段的条件下均实现了长时稳定,其中CaF2微腔产生Kerr光孤子频率梳以及长时稳定尚属首次.相比目前已有的Kerr光孤子频率梳产生的相关研究,本文所设计的系统仅通过数字信号处理实现了Kerr光孤子频率梳的产生与长时稳定,且基于FPGA平台有望实现控制系统的集成化乃至芯片化,从而大幅降低Kerr光孤子频率梳系统的整体体积.此外,该系统的研制不仅为探索更多材料产生并稳定Kerr光孤子提供了有效的工具,也使得Kerr光学频率梳的产生与稳定不再需要特定的光学系统与对应的控制系统,为Kerr光学频率梳在光频原子钟以及其他应用场景的实用化奠定了基础.

利益冲突

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