Research

Parametrically Driven Cavity Solitons and Soliton Noise (Brussels 2024-now)

In Brussels, I studied parametrically driven Kerr cavities, demonstrating the phase-sensitive formation of parametric soliton crystals~[24]. Ongoing collaborative work addresses single-pulse PDCS, PDCS molecules, and dual-pumped PDCS. In parallel, I quantified cavity-soliton quantum-limited noise by linking timing jitter, phase--amplitude coupling, and relative intensity noise (RIN) [26], and contributed to studies of high-finesse Raman-gain fiber resonators with G. Semaan~[25].

[24] Y. Sun et al. arXiv:2504.04788 (2025);
[25] G. Semaan, Y. Sun et al. CLEO Europe (2025)
[26] Y. Sun et al. arXiv:2605.14614 (2026)

Cavity Soliton Dynamics (Rome 2021-2024)

I investigated dissipative structures in coherently driven Kerr cavities under engineered phase landscapes: Kerr solitons, breathers, and chimera/chaoticon states with parabolic intracavity phase [16,17]; the multimode-resonance transition from dark to bright solitons at normal dispersion [18]; robust high-order 3D cavity solitons and breathers [19]; and reduced-dimensional connections unifying localized states across space–time scales [20,21]. I also demonstrated control via chirped pumping [22] and contributed to bistable SHG-assisted Kerr combs [23]
[16] Y. Sun et al. Opt. Lett. 47, 6353 (2022)
[17] Y. Sun et al. Chaos Solitons Fractals 176, 114064 (2023)
[18] Y. Sun et al. Opt. Lett. 48, 5403 (2023)
[19] Y. Sun et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 131, 137201 (2023)
[20] Y. Sun et al. Chaos Solitons Fractals 183, 114870 (2024)
[21] Y. Sun et al. Phys. Rev. Res. 7, L032015 (2025)
[22] F. Talenti, Y. Sun et al. Opt. Commun. 546, 129773 (2023)
[23] F. Talenti, S. Wabnitz, Y. Sun et al. Opt. Lett. 50, 2037 (2025)

Multimode Fiber Nonlinear Dynamics (Rome 2021-2024)

The second major accomplishment in my carreer is about investigating the dynamics of multimode solitons propagation in multimode fibers. I completed a coherent program on multimode–fiber soliton physics, combining modeling and experiment to uncover spatiotemporal effects unique to high-dimensional propagation. Representative contributions span: multimode soliton collisions ({Opt.~Express} [5], a book chapter [6], an invited review [7] dissipative-wave reflection from solitons [8]; solitons in step-index fibers [9]; variational frameworks for 3D solitons [10–12]; beam ionization [13]; modal phase locking in fibers [14]; beam self-cleaning-related optical thermalization [15].

[5] Y. Sun et al. Opt. Express 30, 21710 (2022)
[6] Y. Sun et al. Elsevier book chapter, p.27–55 (2023)
[7] Y. Sun et al. (invited) Photon. Res., 12, 2581 (2024)
[8] A. C. Sparapani, Y. Sun* et al. (invited) Nanophotonics 14, 2811 (2025)
[9] M. Zitelli, Y. Sun et al. Opt. Express 30, 6300 (2022)
[10] P. Parra-Rivas, Y. Sun* et al. Opt. Commun. 546, 129749 (2023)
[11] P. Parra-Rivas, Y. Sun* et al. (invited) Optik 287, 171079 (2023)
[12] P. Parra-Rivas, Y. Sun et al. Phys. Rev. A 109, 033516 (2024)
[13] M. Ferraro, F. Mangini, Y. Sun et al. Photon. Res. 10, 1394 (2022)
[14] F. Mangini, M. Ferraro, Y. Sun, et al. Opt. Lett. 48, 3677 (2023)
[15] F. Mangini, M. Gervaziev, M. Ferraro, Y. Sun, et al. Opt. Express 30, 10850 (2022)

Mode-locked nanolasers (Paris 2016-2021)

Ultrafast Nonlinear Dynamics in Mode-Locked Nanolasers (Paris -- PhD Work).

I investigated mode locking in ultra-compact semiconductor nanolasers based on photonic crystal cavities supporting Hermite–Gaussian eigenmodes. By employing the Gross–Pitaevskii equation and bifurcation analysis, I demonstrated that mode locking induces harmonic oscillations of soliton pulses within these photonic cavities.

The outcome provides novel insights: (i) mode-locking periods governed by photonic potential rather than cavity length [1]; (ii) controllable transitions across Q-switching, CW, and Q-switched mode locking [2]; (iii) robustness against cavity disorder [3] and noise analysis [4].

[1] Y. Sun et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 123, 233901 (2019)
[2] Y. Sun et al. Phys. Rev. A 102, 043503 (2020)
[3] Y. Sun et al. Opt. Express 29, 5782 (2021)
[4] Y. Sun et al. Opt. Express 30, 19343 (2022)

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