Bridging high-Q and Kerr-nonlinear photonics using modal phase matching
Abstract
Integrated Kerr microresonators provide on-chip optical nonlinearity for wavelength conversion, optical frequency combs, and quantum light sources. Traditionally, their dispersion engineering has tied nonlinear functionality to resonator geometry, forcing trade-offs with other device objectives. In particular, Kerr microresonators usually feature narrow resonator waveguides, but wide waveguides support higher Q through reduced sidewall scattering. We propose that modal phase matching - invoking multiple spatial mode families to satisfy dispersion requirements - facilitates Kerr nonlinear optics beyond traditional geometries. Working with a commercial foundry, we design and fabricate high-$ (>10^7) microresonators on a 160-nm-thick silicon nitride platform and demonstrate Kerr optical parametric oscillation. We achieve 20% conversion efficiency and gap-free wavelength tuning over >1 nm for parametric oscillation at the cesium D1 transition. Modal phase matching further supports pumping in both 1060-nm and 795-nm bands, without custom device layers, for wavelength generation between 600 nm to 1400 nm. Our work expands the Kerr design space, effectively decoupling Q and dispersion to create new opportunities with high-Q nonlinear devices.
Related
- Ultra-low-loss Ta2O5 waveguide for integrated nonlinear photonics
- Phase-stable voltage bias for Josephson photonics devices
- Stochastic Analysis of Laser Phase Noise in Photonics-Assisted Radio Frequency Beamforming
- Modal interactions in strongly nonlinear coupled oscillators with closely spaced modes and nonclassical damping distribution
- Intensity–phase–modal degradation of Bessel–Gaussian vortex beams in sea-fog scattering environments
BibTeX
@misc{stone2026bridging,
title = {{Bridging high-Q and Kerr-nonlinear photonics using modal phase matching}},
author = {Jordan R. Stone and Saleha Fatema and Christopher V. Poulton and Michael G. Wood and Gordon A. Keeler and Kartik Srinivasan},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2609.17444},
eprint = {2609.17444},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.17444},
note = {CC0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Bridging high-Q and Kerr-nonlinear photonics using modal phase matching
AU - Jordan R. Stone
AU - Saleha Fatema
AU - Christopher V. Poulton
AU - Michael G. Wood
AU - Gordon A. Keeler
AU - Kartik Srinivasan
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/15
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2609.17444
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.17444
AB - Integrated Kerr microresonators provide on-chip optical nonlinearity for wavelength conversion, optical frequency combs, and quantum light sources. Traditionally, their dispersion engineering has tied nonlinear functionality to resonator geometry, forcing trade-offs with other device objectives. In particular, Kerr microresonators usually feature narrow resonator waveguides, but wide waveguides support higher Q through reduced sidewall scattering. We propose that modal phase matching - invoking multiple spatial mode families to satisfy dispersion requirements - facilitates Kerr nonlinear optics beyond traditional geometries. Working with a commercial foundry, we design and fabricate high-$ (>10^7) microresonators on a 160-nm-thick silicon nitride platform and demonstrate Kerr optical parametric oscillation. We achieve 20% conversion efficiency and gap-free wavelength tuning over >1 nm for parametric oscillation at the cesium D1 transition. Modal phase matching further supports pumping in both 1060-nm and 795-nm bands, without custom device layers, for wavelength generation between 600 nm to 1400 nm. Our work expands the Kerr design space, effectively decoupling Q and dispersion to create new opportunities with high-Q nonlinear devices.
ER -