All-optical frequency division on-chip using a single laser.

The generation of spectrally pure microwave signals is a critical functionality in fundamental and applied sciences, including metrology and communications. Optical frequency combs enable the powerful technique of optical frequency division (OFD) to produce microwave oscillations of the highest quality. Current implementations of OFD require multiple lasers, with space- and energy-consuming optical stabilization and electronic feedback components, resulting in device footprints incompatible with integration into a compact and robust photonic platform.