Photonic gauge potential in a system with a synthetic frequency dimension

Abstract: We generalize the concept of photonic gauge potential in real space, by introducing an additional "synthetic" frequency dimension in addition to the real space dimensions. As an illustration we consider a one-dimensional array of ring resonators, each supporting a set of resonant modes having a frequency comb with spacing $\Omega$, undergoing a refractive index modulation at the modulation frequency equal to $\Omega$. We show that the modulation phase provides a gauge potential in the synthetic two-dimensional space with the dimensions being the frequency and the spatial axes. Such gauge potential can create a topologically protected one-way edge state in the synthetic space that is useful for high-efficiency generation of higher-order side bands.