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We report an all-optical radio-frequency (RF) spectrum analyzer with a bandwidth greater than 5 terahertz (THz), based on a 50-cm long spiral waveguide in a CMOS-compatible high-index doped silica platform. By carefully mapping out the dispersion profile of the waveguides for different thicknesses, we identify the optimal design to achieve near zero dispersion in the C-band. To demonstrate the capability of the RF spectrum analyzer, we measure the optical output of a femtosecond fiber laser with an ultrafast optical RF spectrum in the terahertz regime., Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, 26 references

The GWAC-N is an observation network composed of multi-aperture and multi-field of view robotic optical telescopes. The main instruments are the GWAC-A. Besides, several robotic optical telescopes with narrower field of views provide fast follow-up multi-band capabilities to the GWAC-N. The primary scientific goal of the GWAC-N is to search for the optical counterparts of GRB that will be detected by the SVOM. The GWAC-N performs many other observing tasks including the follow-ups of ToO and both the detection and the monitoring of variable/periodic objects as well as optical transients. To handle all of those scientific cases, we designed 10 observation modes and 175 observation strategies, especially, a joint observation strategy with multiple telescopes of the GWAC-N for the follow-up of GW events. To perform these observations, we thus develop an AOM system in charge of the object management, the dynamic scheduling of the observation plan and its automatic broadcasting to the network management and finally the image management. The AOM combines the individual telescopes into a network and smoothly organizes all the associated operations. The system completely meets the requirements of the GWAC-N on all its science objectives. With its good portability, the AOM is scientifically and technically qualified for other general purposed telescope networks. As the GWAC-N extends and evolves, the AOM will greatly enhance the discovery potential for the GWAC-N. In the first paper of a series of publications, we present the scientific goals of the GWAC-N as well as the hardware, the software and the strategy setup to achieve the scientific objectives. The structure, the technical design, the implementation and performances of the AOM will be also described in details. In the end, we summarize the current status of the GWAC-N and prospect for the development plan in the near future.

High frequency fluctuation in the optical signal generated in Fourier-Domain Mode Locked fiber laser (FDML-FL), which is the major problem and degrades the laser performance, is not yet fully analyzed or studied. The basic theory which is causing this high frequency fluctuation is required to clearly understand its dynamics and to control it for various applications. In this letter, by analyzing the signal and system dynamics of FDML-FL, we theoretically demonstrate that the high frequency fluctuation is induced by the intrinsic instability of frequency offset of the signal in cavity with nonlinear gain and spectral filter. Unlike the instabilities observed in other laser cavities this instability is very unique to FDML-FL as the central frequency of the optical signal continuously shifts away from the center frequency of the filter due to the effects like dispersion and/or nonlinearity. This instability is none other than the Eckhaus instability reported and well studied in fluid dynamics governed by real Ginzburg-Landau equation.

Kerr soliton frequency comb generation in monolithic microresonators recently attracted great interests as it enables chip-scale few-cycle pulse generation at microwave rates with smooth octave-spanning spectra for self-referencing. Such versatile platform finds significant applications in dual-comb spectroscopy, low-noise optical frequency synthesis, coherent communication systems, etc. However, it still remains challenging to straightforwardly and deterministically generate and sustain the single-soliton state in microresonators. In this paper, we propose and theoretically demonstrate the excitation of single-soliton Kerr frequency comb by seeding the continuous-wave driven nonlinear microcavity with a pulsed trigger. Unlike the mostly adopted frequency tuning scheme reported so far, we show that an energetic single shot pulse can trigger the single-soliton state deterministically without experiencing any unstable or chaotic states. Neither the pump frequency nor the cavity resonance is required to be tuned. The generated mode-locked single-soliton Kerr comb is robust and insensitive to perturbations. Even when the thermal effect induced by the absorption of the intracavity light is taken into account, the proposed single pulse trigger approach remains valid without requiring any thermal compensation means., Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures