Single and multiple soliton generation device and method

A soliton generation apparatus comprising:

• an optical resonator for generating multiple solitons;
• a pumping laser for providing light at a pumping wavelength into the optical resonator;
• a tuning device for tuning the pumping wavelength across an optical resonance wavelength of the optical resonator or the optical resonance wavelength of the optical resonator across the pumping wavelength to generate multiple solitons inside the optical resonator, and for changing the wavelength detuning between the pumping laser wavelength and the optical resonance wavelength of the optical resonator to remove at least one soliton of the generated multiple solitons to provide (i) a plurality of solitons that comprises at least one less soliton than that of the generated multiple solitons or (ii) a single soliton in the optical resonator;
• a photodetector for receiving light output from the optical resonator and producing a corresponding output signal;
• a processor configured to
• control the tuning device to generate multiple solitons in the optical resonator and to change the wavelength detuning between the pumping laser wavelength and an optical resonance wavelength of the optical resonator to remove at least one soliton of the generated multiple solitons,
• process the output signal to determine a removal of a soliton from the optical resonator through the identification of a step profile in the corresponding output signal,
• stop detuning when the removal of the at least one soliton is determined from the corresponding output signal, and
• control the detuning device to tune at a tuning speed slower than a thermal relaxation rate of the optical resonator.