Ultra-stable laser with sub-Hz intrinsic linewidth using a silicon photonic chip

Abstract

Here, we demonstrate a novel optical self-injection-locking scheme integrated with a modulation-free laser frequency stabilization technique co-integrated with a compact vacuum-gap micro-Fabry-Perot cavity (uFP), with Q-factor of 3.46E9, to realize an ultra-stable laser with sub-Hz fundamental linewidth using a silicon photonic chip. The demonstrated electro-optic self-injection locking (EOSIL) chip suppresses a commercial DFB diode laser's frequency noise power spectral density by more than 110 dB at 1 Hz offset, approaching the theoretical thermal noise limit of the uFP cavity, and enables a laser fundamental linewidth of 58 mHz with a fractional frequency instability of 8.68E-13 at 1 sec averaging time. The chip is fabricated using the Advanced Micro Foundry standard silicon photonic process and occupies a footprint of 10 mm^2.