On-Chip Erbium-Doped Tantalum Oxide Microring Hybrid Cavity Single-Mode Laser

Abstract: We demonstrate a high-performance, single-mode Er:Ta2O5 microring laser monolithically integrated on a silicon platform via a customized Damascene process. The Er:Ta2O5 gain medium exhibits a low propagation loss of 0.73 dB/cm and a high intrinsic Q-factor of 5.03 x 105. By utilizing a hybrid cavity_consisting of a microring coupled to a U-shaped waveguide at two symmetric points_we exploit the Vernier effect to achieve robust longitudinal mode selection. Under a non-resonant 1480 nm pumping scheme, the laser yields a side_mode suppression ratio (SMSR) of 53.3 dB and a narrow linewidth of 9.5 pm. A slope efficiency of 2.76 % is achieved_the highest reported to date for Er:Ta2O5 lasers_with a lasing threshold of 3.3 mW. Furthermore, stable single-mode tuning is demonstrated across a temperature range of 18_68 celsius, consistently aligning with theoretical transfer matrix models. This work provides a scalable pathway for high-efficiency, tunable on-chip light sources, bridging the gap for monolithic active-passive integration on the tantalum oxide photonic platform.