Integrated Frequency Comb Chip With Electrically Pumped Microresonator

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing frequency comb generators rely on bulky, expensive, and power-hungry external pump lasers, limiting their application in portable and low-power consumption scenarios.

Innovation Solution

A fully integrated chip-scale platform using an electrically pumped semiconductor laser integrated with a high-quality factor Si3N4 resonator, coupled with Vernier microring bandpass filters, to generate a frequency comb through parametric four-wave mixing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If external pump lasers are used to generate frequency combs in microresonators, then frequency comb generation is achieved, but the system becomes bulky, expensive, and power-hungry

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcomb generation stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the pump laser and microresonator onto a single chip platform, integrating the laser cavity directly with the microresonator. This integration eliminates the need for external pump lasers while maintaining comb generation stability, directly resolving the contradiction between power consumption and reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the operating parameters by using electrically pumped lasers instead of external optical pump lasers. This parameter change enables low-power operation while maintaining the necessary pump intensity for comb generation through careful engineering of the laser cavity and microresonator coupling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If silicon waveguides with bonded III-V gain sections are used, then integrated laser cavities are achieved, but losses in the waveguides make comb generation impractical at low power

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintegration capabilityVSAvoidwaveguide loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite material structures combining silicon waveguides with III-V gain sections, but optimizes the design to minimize loss. The composite structure enables both ease of manufacture through standard fabrication processes and low power operation by reducing waveguide losses through careful material selection and structural design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Volume of moving object

If external pump lasers are used, then frequency comb generation is achieved, but the system size increases and portability is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem sizeVSAvoidportability

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple components (pump laser, filters, microresonator) into a single integrated chip platform, dramatically reducing system size. This integration directly enables portability while maintaining frequency comb generation capability, resolving the contradiction between volume and ease of operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Volume of moving object

If fully integrated chip-scale platforms are used, then compactness is achieved, but power-efficient integrated lasers have high losses making comb generation impractical

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechip sizeVSAvoidpower efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes key parameters including using electrically pumped lasers with optimized cavity designs, adjusting the coupling between laser and microresonator, and engineering the microresonator quality factor to enable low-threshold comb generation. These parameter changes achieve both compactness and power efficiency simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Achieves compact, low-power, and stable frequency combs with ultralow propagation loss, enabling battery-operated systems for applications requiring high precision and stability, such as spectroscopy and telecommunications.

Implementation Method 1

By pumping the microresonator with a single-frequency pump laser, additional discrete, equidistant frequencies are generated through parametric four-wave mixing, resulting in a Kerr frequency comb

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectParametric four-wave mixing: Kerr Effect

Implementation Method 2

Power-efficient integrated lasers have been developed using silicon laser cavities with bonded or attached III-V gain sections

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectStimulated emission: Laser

Data Source

PatentUS12504668B2Fully integrated chip platform for electrically pumped frequency comb generation

Publication Date: 2025.12.23 THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIV IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK

AI summary

Example methods, devices, and systems for optical emission are disclosed. An example device can comprise one or more optical filters. The one or more optical filters can be configured to be coupled to an optical amplifier. The device can comprise a microresonator configured to receive an output of the one or more optical filters and output, based on parametric multiwave mixing, a frequency comb. The one or more optical filters and the microresonator can be integrated into a single chip.