Spectral Extension and Synchronisation of Microcombs in a Single Microresonator

Abstract: We demonstrate that the optical spectrum of a soliton microcomb generated in a microresonator can be coherently extended by using bichromatic pumping: one pump with a frequency in the anomalous dispersion regime of the microresonator is used to generate a bright soliton microcomb while a second pump in the normal dispersion regime both compensates the thermal effect of the microresonator and generates a second frequency comb via cross-phase modulation with the bright soliton, thus extending the spectrum of the microcomb. Experimental results for different microresonators show that the mode spacings of the two combs are synchronised, even when the combs are generated in different mode families. Numerical simulations agree well with experimental results and reveal that a bright optical pulse from the second pump is passively formed in the normal dispersion regime and trapped by the bright soliton. We believe the demonstrated technique provides an alternative way to generate broadband microcombs and multi-coloured frequency combs that can be useful for frequency metrology and spectroscopy. In addition, this method enables the selective enhancement of available optical power in specific parts of the comb spectrum.