Picometer-precise fabrication of microresonators for advanced photonic circuits using the SNAP platform (Invited Paper)

We report the advancements in the picometer-precise fabrication of microresonators and resonant photonic circuits using the Surface Nanoscale Axial Photonics (SNAP) platform. The requirement for picometer precision in microphotonic devices is critical in applications such as microwave photonic filters, frequency combs, and signal processors. Our research explores several fabrication techniques, including CO2 laser annealing, femtosecond laser inscription, slow cooking, and fiber bending, each demonstrating the capability to achieve the required precision in the nanoscale effective radius variation of microresonators. Additionally, we provide insights into the experimental results of these techniques, highlighting their effectiveness in producing microresonators with high Q-factors and wavelength precision essential for advanced photonic applications. The SNAP platform’s precision in microresonator fabrication represents a significant advancement, paving the way for the development of high-performance photonic devices for optical communications and signal processing.