OPTICAL PARAMETRIC DEVICE

• US 3,772,528 A
• Filed: 01/26/1972
• Issued: 11/13/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dean B. Anderson
• Original Assignee: Dean B. Anderson
• Inventors: Anderson, Dean B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kominski, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hostetter, Darwin R.
• Application Number:
  US05/221,005
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 307/88.3 330/4.5,4.6,4.9
• US Class Current: 359/332
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/395 in optical waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 9/00 Demodulation or transference of modulation of modulated electromagnetic waves demodulating light, transferring modulation in light waves G02F2/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/10 Solid-state travelling-wave devices

Abstract

An optical parametric device is described which may be used as an amplifier, oscillator, or frequency converter, and which is operable in the infrared or visible spectral regions. The device utilizes a dielectric optical waveguide or tuned cavity, which structure may comprise the depletion layer of a semiconductor junction, the dielectric material of which exhibits nonlinear susceptibility. An intense, appropriately oriented, optical pump induces a non-linear electric polarization in the material of the dielectric structure. Traveling wave or discrete circuit parametric interaction occurs within the structure between the pump and an input signal. Under appropriate conditions, oscillation, amplification, and/or frequency conversion may be obtained.

Claims

1. A device, comprising in combination:

a dielectric wavebinding structure comprising a solid dielectric support member, and a solid dielectric rectangular waveguide member of single crystal material attached tO the support member, wherein the waveguide member exhibits an index of refraction larger than that of the support member and wherein the wavebinding structure is capable of simultaneously supporting a plurality of modes at parametrically related frequencies; and

means for introducing laser-type waves into said structure at said parametrically related frequencies, said structure exhibiting nonlinear susceptibility characteristics and effecting parametric interaction between said laser-type waves for propagation thereof at a substantially common phase velocity.

2. The device as stated in claim 1:

at least one of the laser-type waves introduced into said structure at the parametrically related frequencies being in opposite direction from any of the other of the laser-type waves introduced into said structure.

3. The device as stated in claim 1, wherein:

said wavebinding structure comprises cavity means, said cavity means providing simultaneous resonance of said parametrically related frequencies.

4. The device as stated in claim 1, wherein:

said wavebinding structure has a width approximately one-half wavelength of the highest of said parametrically related frequencies and a thickness no greater than the width.

5. The device as stated in claim 1, including:

antireflective means disposed as the ends of said wavebinding structure.

6. The device as stated in claim 5, wherein:

said antireflective means comprises means for introducing different amounts of phase shift for light which is reflected at different frequencies.

7. The device as stated in claim 1, wherein said wavebinding structure includes:

a pump source, having an optical pumping frequency of omega p and an orientation appropriate for inducing nonlinear polarization in said dielectric waveguide; and

means for introducing pumping action and a signal into said waveguide in modes appropriate for propagation therein, said signal having at least one optical frequency selected from the frequencies omega 1, omega 2 and omega 3, wherein omega p omega 1 + omega 2, and omega 3 omega p + omega 1.

8. The device as stated in claim 7, including:

means for separating light emerging from said device to obtain an output at one of the stated omega 1, omega 2, and omega 3, and omega p frequencies.

9. The device as stated in claim 7, wherein:

said pump source is a laser.

10. The device as stated in claim 7, wherein:

said means for introducing comprises a mode converter.