Continuum generation and carving on a silicon chip

Self-phase modulation is utilized to generate a continuum of wavelengths on a silicon chip. The propagation of near transform-limited, picosecond pulses (3ps) through a micron sized silicon waveguide results in the generation of a spectral continuum. This spectral continuum is then carved by microdisk resonators that are integrated three dimensionally on the same chip, resulting in multiple wavelength channels, with the farthest channel being around 3.1nm away from the center wavelength of the seed pulse. This technique can potentially enable wavelength division multiplexing at the chip level using a single off-chip laser.