Photonic-crystal waveguide for the second-harmonic generation

The possibility of efficient second-harmonic generation in the optical range in a planar dielectric waveguide with the active region in the form of a one-dimensional photonic crystal has been theoretically shown. The true phase matching can be achieved by controlling wave dispersion in the photonic crystal. The dispersion equations for the photonic crystal and three-layer waveguide have been self-consistently solved. It is shown that the coherence length may exceed 10 mm.     

Efficient broadband second-harmonic generation by dispersive achromatic nonlinear conversion using only prisms

Using a lossless dispersive apparatus consisting of six prisms, optimized to match a second-harmonic crystal phase-matching angle versus wavelength to second order, we efficiently doubled tunable fundamental light near 660 nm over a range of 80 nm, using a 4-mm-long type I beta -barium borate crystal without tuning the crystal angle. Another set of six prisms after the crystal realigned the propagation directions of the various second-harmonic frequencies to be collinear to within 1/4 spot diameter in position and 200microrad in angle. The measured conversion efficiency of a 40-mJ, 5-ns fundamental pulse was 10%.     

Efficient second harmonic generation between photonic and plasmonic modes in a tunable transparent conducting oxide waveguide

Efficient second harmonic generation(SHG) in a nonlinear transparent conducting oxide(TCO) stripe waveguide that incorporates an organic polymer is theoretically investigated. The phase match condition between the fundamental photonic mode at the second harmonic and the fundamental long-range plasmonic mode at the fundamental frequency can be satisfied by dynamically or statically tuning the free carrier concentration of the TCO. The theoretically generated signal reaches its maximum up to 56.4 m W at a propagation distance of 34.8 μm for a pumping power of 1 W. The corresponding normalized conversion efficiency of the phase-matched SHG is up to 4.65 × 10~3W~(-1)cm~(-2).     

THz generation by a suspended hybrid plasmonic waveguide

We present a suspended waveguide consists of a double hybrid plasmonic waveguide for the purpose of enhancing the conversion efficiency of terahertz (THz) wave generation using difference frequency generation process. We show that in the THz generation process, metal-air-metal waveguide facilitates the phase matching and reduces the propagation loss. Our numerical calculation shows that the conversion efficiency in these waveguide structures can be more than one order of magnitude larger than what has been achieved using regular metal-dielectric-metal waveguides.     

Transverse second-harmonic generation from disordered nonlinear crystals

We investigate the transverse second-harmonic generation in as grown strontium barium niobate (SBN) crystals with a random structure of anti-parallel ferroelectric domains. We consider both, single and counter-propagating pulse geometries. We investigate polarization properties of the second harmonic signal and discuss applications of this process for short pulses characterization. Presented at 9-th International Workshop on Nonlinear Optics Applications, NOA 2007, May 17–20, 2007, Świnoujście, Poland     

Photonic band-gap enhanced second-harmonic generation in a planar lithium niobate waveguide

Enhanced second-harmonic generation (SHG) conversion efficiency was theoretically predicted in waveguide geometry with coupling to a one-dimensional grating photonic band gap (PBG). We report a series of experiments using samples made with lithium niobate. A waveguide was fabricated near the surface by applying the proton-exchange technique. The characteristics of waveguide modes were determined by several techniques: prism coupling, diffraction, and Cherenkov radiation. The WKB method was used to analyze the results. Ultraviolet laser lithography was applied to make PBG gratings on the sample. We further investigated Cherenkov second-harmonic generation (CSHG), i.e., SHG radiated into the substrate, under the condition of a band-edge PBG resonance in the waveguides. The SHG inside planar waveguides was also experimentally investigated. We fabricated waveguides with multiple pump modes and found that the second mode was more efficient in enhancing the second harmonic signal. This result is explained by our model. Several samples were investigated in detail; the highest conversion efficiency of CSHG with a PBG was enhanced around 50 times above the CSHG signal without a PBG. A numerical model was constructed with parameters calculated from our sample characterization data to interpret the experimental results.     

Transient second-harmonic generation with spatially nonuniform nonlinear coefficients

An optimal control approach is used to extend to the regime of pump depletion the idea of using spatially nonuniform nonlinear coefficients to tailor the shapes of optical pulses in a process of transient second-harmonic generation.     

Evidence for third-harmonic generation in disguise of second-harmonic generation in extreme nonlinear optics

In contrast with traditional nonlinear optics, a peak at the spectral position of the second harmonic of a laser can also be generated in an inversion-symmetric medium in the regime of extreme nonlinear optics. We describe the underlying mechanism of such third-harmonic generation in disguise of second-harmonic generation and compare theory with the optical as well as the radio-frequency spectra measured in recent experiments on thin ZnO films. The peak at twice the carrier-envelope offset frequency in the radio-frequency spectra is shown to be an unambiguous signature of such a process.     

Optical second-harmonic generation in a thin-film waveguide without control of film thickness

An optical second-harmonic wave can be generated in a three-layered optical waveguide of arbitrary film thickness under phase-matching condition. Phase-matching is achieved by utilizing mode dispersion in an optical waveguide with a two-dimensional configuration. A numerical analysis of the matching condition is given and the results of the observation of the optical second-harmonic wave of a guided Nd : YAG laser in a Ti-indiffused LiNbO₃ nonlinear film are described.     

Low-voltage tunable second-harmonic generation in an x-cut periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide

We report a new method of tuning the second-harmonic signal generated in a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguide. This technique relies on the recent progress in the fabrication of PPLNs on x-cut substrates along with periodical coplanar electrodes to reduce the tuning voltage while preserving the conversion efficiency. Our scheme exploits a type I interaction implemented in a titanium waveguide to impede cancellation of the electro-optical coefficients and to minimize the group-velocity mismatch between the first- and second-harmonic modes. The tuning range covers 58 nm with an applied voltage of +/-150 V.     

Efficient second-harmonic generation by scattering from porous gallium phosphide

We experimentally study second-harmonic generation by femtosecond Cr: forsterite-laser radiation scattered on the surface of porous gallium phosphide with characteristic pore sizes and distances between the pores comparable with the second-harmonic wavelength. The intensity of the second-harmonic signal from samples with initial crystallographic surface orientations (110) and (111) is more than an order of magnitude higher than the intensity of the second harmonic generated in reflection from single-crystal gallium phosphide. The efficiency of second-harmonic generation by macroporous gallium phosphide substantially increases as the pump wave-length becomes shorter. The influence of light localization and scattering effects on the enhancement of second-harmonic generation and polarization properties of the second-harmonic is discussed.     

Guided-wave second-harmonic generation in a LiNbO3 nonlinear photonic crystal

We demonstrate twin-beam second-harmonic generation from telecommunications wavelengths in an optimized buried reverse proton exchanged planar waveguide made in 2D hexagonally poled LiNbO3. Experiments carried out with a nanosecond narrow-bandwidth, high-power fiber source thoroughly explored the response of the nonlinear photonic crystal device in terms of its power, wavelength, and angle tunability.     

Quasi-phase-matched second-harmonic generation in a GaAs/AlAs superlattice waveguide by ion-implantation-induced intermixing

We report type I second-harmonic generation by use of first-order quasi-phase matching in a GaAs/AlAs symmetric superlattice structure with femtosecond fundamental pulses at 1.55 microm. Periodic spatial modulation of the bulklike second-order susceptibility chi(zxy)(2) was achieved with quantum-well intermixing for which the group III vacancies were created by As+-ion implantation. A narrow second-harmonic bandwidth of approximately 0.9 nm (FWHM) with an average power of approximately 1.5 microW was detected, corresponding to an internal conversion efficiency of approximately 0.06%, which was considerably limited by the spectral bandwidth of the fundamental.     

Reflective-type configuration for nearly phase-matching cerenkov second-harmonic generation in a nonlinear-optical polymer waveguide

A new technique for achieving efficient Cerenkov-type second-harmonic generation (SHG) in a nonlinear-optical (NLO) polymer waveguide is presented. The configuration, which can prevent the losses of light caused by relatively long-distance propagation and the multiple reflections that appear in the conventional Cerenkov technique, exhibits ease of fabrication and compactness. We experimentally observed a conversion efficiency of 1.6% W(-1) cm(-1), which to our knowledge is the highest value reported for Cerenkov SHG in polymer, by tuning both the thickness and the refractive index of the polymer film close to phase matching between a guided fundamental wave and a guided harmonic wave. The experimental results agreed well with the theoretical prediction.     

Backward second-harmonic and third-harmonic generation in a periodically poled potassium titanyl phosphate waveguide

We observed backward second-harmonic and backward third-harmonic generation in a periodically poled KTiOPO(4) waveguide using nanosecond laser pulses. The highest conversion efficiency achieved for the backward second-harmonic generation, occurring at the 25th-order grating, was ~0.6% . The backward third-harmonic generation was the result of mixing the pump beam with the forward or the backward second-harmonic beam. Conversion efficiency of ~0.4% was achieved at a pump wavelength of 1233.7 nm, where the two constituent nonlinear processes are both quasi-phase matched.     

Efficient intracavity second-harmonic generation at 1063 nm in a GdCOB crystal

We report an efficient intracavity second-harmonic generation (SHG) at 1063 nm in a non-linear optical crystal, GdCa₄O(BO₃)₃ (GdCOB), performed with a diode end pumped continuous-wave (CW) Nd:GdVO₄ laser. In the case of a laser with an a-cut 0.4 at % Nd:GdVO₄ crystal frequency-doubled with a GdCOB crystal cut for Type I frequency doubling. A CW SHG output power of 2.25 W has been obtained using a 15 mm long GCOB crystal. The optical conversion efficiency with respect to the incident pump power was 12.4%.     

Effect of dimension variation for second-harmonic generation in lithium niobate on insulator waveguide

We study the effect of dimension variation for second-harmonic generation[SHG]in lithium niobate on insulator[LNOI]waveguides.Non-trivial SHG profiles in both t...     

Amplitude squeezing by means of quasi-phase-matched second-harmonic generation in a lithium niobate waveguide

We demonstrate that traveling-wave second-harmonic generation produces amplitude-squeezed light at both the fundamental and the harmonic frequencies. Quasi-phase-matched second-harmonic conversion efficiencies approaching 60% were obtained in a 26-mm-long single-mode LiNbO(3) waveguide with pulses from a mode-locked laser at 1.53 microm. The amplitude noise of the transmitted fundamental field was measured to be 0.8 dB below the shot-noise level, and the generated 0.765-microm harmonic light was measured to be amplitude squeezed by 0.35 dB. The conversion-efficiency dependence of the observed squeezing at both wavelengths agrees with theoretical predictions. Waveguide losses appear to degrade the squeezing, but the maximum observed squeezing is currently limited only by the available input power.