Roadmap: Emerging platforms and applications of optical frequency combs and dissipative solitons
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The discovery of optical frequency combs (OFCs) has revolutionised science and technology by bridging electronics and photonics, driving major advances in precision measurements, atomic clocks, spectroscopy, telecommunications, and astronomy. However, current OFC systems still require further development to enable broader adoption in fields such as communication, aerospace, defence, and healthcare. There is a growing need for compact, portable OFCs that deliver high output power, robust self-referencing, and application-specific spectral coverage. On the conceptual side, progress toward such systems is hindered by an incomplete understanding of the fundamental principles governing OFC generation in emerging devices and materials, as well as evolving insights into the interplay between soliton and mode-locking effects. This roadmap presents the vision of a diverse group of academic and industry researchers and educators from Europe, along with their collaborators, on the current status and future directions of OFC science. It highlights a multidisciplinary approach that integrates novel physics, engineering innovation, and advanced researcher training. Topics include advances in soliton science as it relates to OFCs, the extension of OFC spectra into the visible and mid-infrared ranges, metrology applications and noise performance of integrated OFC sources, new fibre-based OFC modules, OFC lasers and OFC applications in astronomy.
Source: Journal of Optics
Authors: Dmitry V Skryabin, Arne Kordts, Richard Zeltner, Ronald Holzwarth, Tobias Herr, Fuchuan Lei, Qi-Fan Yang, Tobias Herr, Erwan Lucas, Camille-Sophie Brès, John F Donegan, Hai-Zhong Weng, Delphine Marris-Morini, Adel Bousseksou, Markku Vainio, Thomas Bunel, Matteo Conforti, Arnaud Mussot, Julien Fatome, Yuk Shan Cheng, Jake M Charsley, Derryck T Reid, Alessia Pasquazi, Marco Peccianti, M Giudici, M Marconi, A Bartolo, N Vigne, B Chomet, A Garnache, G Beaudoin, I Sagnes, Richard Burguete, Sarah Hammer, Jonathan Silver
Institutions: National Physical Laboratory, University of Bath, Menlo Systems (Germany), Universität Hamburg, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Northeast Normal University, Peking University, State Key Laboratory of Artificial Microstructure and Mesoscopic Physics, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne, Université Bourgogne Europe, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Trinity College Dublin, Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research, Yongjiang Laboratory, Université Paris-Saclay, Centre de Nanosciences et de Nanotechnologies, University of Helsinki, Université de Lille, Laboratoire de Physique des Lasers, Atomes et Molécules, Heriot-Watt University, Loughborough University, Université Côte d'Azur, Institut de Physique de Nice, Institut d'Électronique et des Systèmes, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,325
Funders: Government of the United Kingdom, UK Research and Innovation, European Commission, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Stiftelsen för Strategisk Forskning, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Vetenskapsrådet, Ministère de l'Education Nationale, de l'Enseignement Superieur et de la Recherche, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Conseil régional de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, European Regional Development Fund, Research Ireland
OpenAlex ID: W7204103240