Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, ErlangenVisit and contact
Del'Haye LabMicrophotonics Research Laboratory

Research

Nonlinear and neuromorphic photonics

When light circulates in both directions of a Kerr resonator, or in coupled resonators, it can spontaneously favour one state over another. We use this symmetry breaking for on-chip optical switches, memories and logic gates, and study how light distributes itself in chains of coupled resonators. These building blocks point towards neuromorphic computing with light.

Draft text, to be reviewed by the group.

Selected publications

  1. Symmetry-Broken Cavity Solitons and Collective Polarization Conformity in Fabry-Perot Kerr ResonatorsY. G. Sanvert, A. Alabbadi, L. Hill, Y. Xu, G. Xu, G. -L. Oppo, S. Coen, E. Lucas, P. Del'Haye, and J. FatomearXiv:2602.21946 (Feb 2026)
  2. Exceptional points preceding and enabling spontaneous symmetry breakingL. Hill, J. T. Gohsrich, A. Ghosh, J. Fauman, P. Del'Haye, and F. K. KunstCommun. Phys. 9, 58 (Jan 2026)arXiv:2505.02691
  3. Octave-spanning frequency comb from a single-diode-pumped 1 GHz Ti: sapphire laserE. Allan, A. Alabbadi, P. Castro-Marín, H. Ostapenko, P. Del’Haye, and D. T. ReidOpt. Lett. 51, 337 (Jan 2026)
  4. Color symmetry breaking in a nonlinear optical microcavityL. O. Trinchão, A. Ghosh, A. Pal, H. Yan, T. Bi, S. Zhang, N. B. Tomazio, F. K. Kunst, L. Hill, G. S. Wiederhecker, and P. Del'HayearXiv:2601.00792 (Jan 2026)
  5. Phase Symmetry Breaking of Counterpropagating Light in Microresonators for Switches and Logic GatesA. Ghosh, A. Pal, S. Zhang, L. Hill, T. Bi, and P. Del’HayeLaser Photonics Rev. 20, e01500 (2026)arXiv:2407.16625
  6. Integrated optical switches based on Kerr symmetry breaking in microresonatorsY. Zhang, S. Zhang, A. Ghosh, A. Pal, G. N. Ghalanos, T. Bi, H. Yan, H. Zhang, Y. Zhuang, L. Hill, and P. Del’HayePhoton. Res. 13, 360 (Jan 2025)
  7. Controlled light distribution with coupled microresonator chains via Kerr symmetry breakingA. Ghosh, A. Pal, L. Hill, G. N. Campbell, T. Bi, Y. Zhang, A. Alabbadi, S. Zhang, and P. Del’HayePhoton. Res. 12, 2376 (Oct 2024)arXiv:2402.10673
  8. On-the-fly precision spectroscopy with a dual-modulated tunable diode laser and Hz-level referencing to a cavityS. Zhang, T. Bi, and P. Del’HayeAdvanced Photonics 6, 046003arXiv:2303.14180SPIE News Article

All publications

From the news

Phase Symmetry Breaking for Switches and Logic GatesIntegrated optical switches based on symmetry breakingLinear and Nonlinear Coupling of Light in Twin-RodsNonlinear Light Distribution in CROWsTracking the Frequency of LightFour-field symmetry breakings in photonic dimers