Spectral phase transitions in optical parametric oscillators

Driven nonlinear resonators provide a fertile ground for phenomena related to phase transitions far from equilibrium, which can open opportunities unattainable in their linear counterparts. Here, we show that optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) can undergo second-order phase transitions in the spe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature communications 2021-02, Vol.12 (1), p.835-835, Article 835
Main Authors: Roy, Arkadev, Jahani, Saman, Langrock, Carsten, Fejer, Martin, Marandi, Alireza
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
639/624/400/385
639/766/530/2803
Broken symmetry
Critical point
Data processing
Humanities and Social Sciences
Information processing
multidisciplinary
Optical Parametric Oscillators
Oscillators
Parameter sensitivity
Parametric amplifiers
Phase transitions
Quantum computing
Quantum phenomena
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Spectra
Spectral sensitivity
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Summary:Driven nonlinear resonators provide a fertile ground for phenomena related to phase transitions far from equilibrium, which can open opportunities unattainable in their linear counterparts. Here, we show that optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) can undergo second-order phase transitions in the spectral domain between degenerate and non-degenerate regimes. This abrupt change in the spectral response follows a square-root dependence around the critical point, exhibiting high sensitivity to parameter variation akin to systems around an exceptional point. We experimentally demonstrate such a phase transition in a quadratic OPO. We show that the divergent susceptibility of the critical point is accompanied by spontaneous symmetry breaking and distinct phase noise properties in the two regimes, indicating the importance of a beyond nonlinear bifurcation interpretation. We also predict the occurrence of first-order spectral phase transitions in coupled OPOs. Our results on non-equilibrium spectral behaviors can be utilized for enhanced sensing, advanced computing, and quantum information processing. Non-equilibrium and collective behaviors such as phase transitions in optical systems can lead to interesting applications in photonics. Here the authors demonstrate spectral phase transition in a ubiquitous nonlinear driven-dissipative system, the optical parametric oscillator.
ISSN:2041-1723
2041-1723
DOI:10.1038/s41467-021-21048-z