Buildup dynamics of controllable soliton crystals in Kerr fiber cavity

We report the spontaneous generation and controlled dynamic evolution of soliton crystals (SCs) in a Kerr fiber cavity. By scanning the cavity detuning, we observe the real-time dynamic within the cavity, which progresses from modulation instability to Turing patterns and subsequently develops into SCs. Through applying phase modulation to the pump, we successfully excite SC that is in strict correspondence with the modulation frequency. Experimental results show excellent agreement with numerical simulations. Our work opens new avenues for ultralow-noise optical frequency combs and other precision photonic technologies.