Hybrid integrated tunable lasers based on thin-film lithium niobate and tantalate

Smart-cut ferroelectric thin films such as thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) are revolutionizing integrated photonics, overcoming the limitations of traditional photonic integrated circuit platforms such as bulk lithium niobate and silicon(nitride)-on-insulator. They enable linear and high-speed modulators operating at CMOS voltage levels to be used in applications including data-centre communications and high-performance computing. TFLT is an analogion of TFLN that combines the excellent electro-optical modulation characteristics with a lower birefringence, increased optical power handling and an established commercial use in 5G RF filter applications that provide am abundant wafer supply for scalable manufacturing. The combination of Pockels materials with III-V semiconductors facilitates a new generation of tunable lasers that combine low voltage operation and very high-speed continuous and linear tuning capabilities. The hybrid integration of distributed Bragg reflectors on thin film ferroelectrics hence offers an entirely new class of ultra-high-speed, low-voltage, and turn-key electro-optical tunable lasers for future high-performance and energy-efficient sensing systems.