Interdisciplinary advances in microcombs: bridging physics and information technology
Bai-Cheng Yao,
Wen-Ting Wang,
Zhen-Da Xie,
Qiang Zhou,
Teng Tan,
Heng Zhou,
Guang-Can Guo,
Shi-Ning Zhu,
Ning-Hua Zhu,
Chee Wei Wong
Affiliations
Bai-Cheng Yao
Key Laboratory of Optical Fibre Sensing and Communications (Education Ministry of China), University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Wen-Ting Wang
Communication and Integrated Photonics Laboratory, Xiong’an Institute of Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhen-Da Xie
National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, School of Physics and College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University
Qiang Zhou
Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Teng Tan
Key Laboratory of Optical Fibre Sensing and Communications (Education Ministry of China), University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Heng Zhou
Key Laboratory of Optical Fibre Sensing and Communications (Education Ministry of China), University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Guang-Can Guo
Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Shi-Ning Zhu
National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, School of Physics and College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University
Ning-Hua Zhu
Communication and Integrated Photonics Laboratory, Xiong’an Institute of Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chee Wei Wong
Fang Lu Mesoscopic Optics and Quantum Electronics Laboratory, University of California
Abstract The advancement of microcomb sources, which serve as a versatile and powerful platform for various time–frequency measurements, have spurred widespread interest across disciplines. Their uses span coherent optical and microwave communications, atomic clocks, high-precision LiDARs, spectrometers, and frequency synthesizers. Recent breakthroughs in fabricating optical micro-cavities, along with the excitation and control of microcombs, have broadened their applications, bridging the gap between physical exploration and practical engineering systems. These developments pave the way for pioneering approaches in both classical and quantum information sciences. In this review article, we conduct a thorough examination of the latest strategies related to microcombs, their enhancement and functionalization schemes, and cutting-edge applications that cover signal generation, data transmission, quantum analysis, and information gathering, processing and computation. Additionally, we provide in-depth evaluations of microcomb-based methodologies tailored for a variety of applications. To conclude, we consider the current state of research and suggest a prospective roadmap that could transition microcomb technology from laboratory settings to broader real-world applications.
