Electronic synthesis of light

We report on bidirectional frequency conversion between the microwave and optical domains using electro-optics. Advances in communications, time keeping, and quantum sensing have all come to depend upon the coherent interoperation of light wave and microwave signals. To connect these domains, which are separated by a factor of 10,000 in frequency, requires specialized technology that has until now only been achieved by ultrafast mode-locked lasers. In contrast, electro-optic modulation (EOM) combs arise deterministically by imposing microwave-rate oscillations on a continuous-wave laser. Here we demonstrate electro-optic generation of a 160 THz bandwidth supercontinuum and realize f-2f self-referencing. Coherence of the supercontinuum is achieved through optical filtering of electronic noise on the seed EOM comb. The mode frequencies of the supercontinuum are derived from the electronic oscillator and they achieve <5×10−14 fractional accuracy and stability, which opens a novel regime for tunable combs with wide mode spacing apart from the requirements of mode locking.