Chip-scale integration of optical frequency combs provides miniaturized instrumentation that bridges optical and microwave signals. Recently, Chinese scientists have demonstrated soliton microcombs in high-Q microresonators on X-cut thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN), a platform that enables monolithic integration of modulators and frequency doublers--essential for realizing complete comb functionality on photonic chips. This advance overcomes a key limitation of TFLN photonics and supports fully integrated, fast-tunable, self-referenced microcombs for chip-scale applications in timekeeping, ranging, and spectroscopy.Soliton Microcombs in X-cut LiNbO3 Microresonators
July 30, 2025
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Chip-scale integration of optical frequency combs provides miniaturized instrumentation that bridges optical and microwave signals. Recently, Chinese scientists have demonstrated soliton microcombs in high-Q microresonators on X-cut thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN), a platform that enables monolithic integration of modulators and frequency doublers--essential for realizing complete comb functionality on photonic chips. This advance overcomes a key limitation of TFLN photonics and supports fully integrated, fast-tunable, self-referenced microcombs for chip-scale applications in timekeeping, ranging, and spectroscopy.
