Ultraprecise optical-frequency stabilization with heterogeneous III-V/Si lasers

Abstract: Demand for low-noise, continuous-wave, frequency-tunable lasers based on semiconductor integrated photonics has been advancing in support of numerous applications. In particular, an important goal is to achieve narrow spectral linewidth, commensurate with bulk-optic or fiber-optic laser platforms. Here, we report on laser-frequency-stabilization experiments with a heterogeneously integrated III/V-Si widely tunable laser and a high-finesse, thermal-noise-limited photonic resonator. This hybrid architecture offers a chip-scale optical-frequency reference with an integrated linewidth of 60 Hz and a fractional frequency stability of 2.5e-13 at 1-second integration time. We explore the potential for stabilization with respect to a resonator with lower thermal noise by characterizing laser-noise contributions such as residual amplitude modulation and photodetection noise. Widely tunable, compact and integrated, cost effective, stable and narrow linewidth lasers are envisioned for use in various fields, including communication, spectroscopy, and metrology.