Phase matching for difference frequency generation and nonlinear optical conversion for planar waveguides via vertical coupling

• US 8,390,922 B1
• Filed: 12/03/2009
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Washington
• Original Assignee: University of Washington
• Inventors: Baehr-Jones, Tom, Hochberg, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Petkovsek, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/630,833
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 359326-332, 385/122, 372 21- 22, 250/504.R
• US Class Current: 359/332
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3534 Three-wave interaction, e.g. sum-difference frequency generation G02F1/3532 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/395 in optical waveguides

Abstract

A high index contrast waveguide based source for radiation. In some embodiments, the radiation is in the 0.5-14 Terahertz regime. Waveguides are provided that permit the generation of radiation at the sum and/or difference frequency of two input beams. In order to control the power level within the waveguide, embodiments in which pluralities of similar or identical waveguide are provided, and the input radiation is divided among the plurality of waveguides. The output radiation can be steered by applying phased array methods and principles.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation, comprising:

a substrate having a surface; and

a waveguide adjacent said surface of said substrate, said waveguide having at least one input port for receiving a first input light beam having a first frequency and a second input light beam having a second frequency different from said first frequency, and configured to have a plurality of adjacent waveguide segments, said plurality of adjacent waveguide segments of said waveguide configured as a phased array;

said waveguide is configured so that, in response to a first input light beam provided as a first laser beam having a first frequency, and a second input light beam provided as a second laser beam having a second frequency, an output electromagnetic radiation beam is generated that includes a signal at a frequency corresponding to a difference between said first frequency of said first input light beam and said second frequency of said second input light beam, said output electromagnetic radiation beam configured to be steered by said phased array.

2. The apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises silicon.

3. The apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic radiation is terahertz electromagnetic radiation.

4. The apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 3, wherein said waveguide has a width dimension in the range of 0.4 μ

m to 0.6 μ

m.

5. The apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 3, wherein said waveguide has a thickness dimension of approximately 0.1 μ

m.

6. The apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 1, wherein said waveguide is a high index contrast waveguide.

7. The apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 1, further comprising a cladding adjacent said waveguide, said cladding comprising a material that exhibits a nonlinear optical coefficient.

8. The apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 7, wherein said cladding comprising a material that exhibits a nonlinear optical coefficient is a material exhibiting a χ

² coefficient.

9. The apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 8, further comprising electrodes for poling said material exhibiting a χ

² coefficient.

10. The apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 7, wherein said cladding comprising a material that exhibits a nonlinear optical coefficient is a material exhibiting a χ

³ coefficient.

11. The apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 7, wherein said cladding adjacent said waveguide is an optical polymer.

12. The apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 7, wherein said cladding comprising a material that exhibits an enhanced nonlinear optical coefficient is an electro-optic polymer material.

13. The apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 1, wherein said plurality of adjacent waveguide segments of said waveguide configured as a phased array are configured in a serpentine configuration.

14. The apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 1, wherein said plurality of adjacent waveguide segments of said waveguide configured as a phased array are configured as segments that branch from a common input.

15. The apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 1, wherein said plurality of adjacent waveguide segments of said waveguide configured as a phased array are configured to control a relative phase of illumination passing through different ones of said plurality of adjacent waveguides.

16. The apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 15, wherein said plurality of adjacent waveguide segments of said waveguide configured as a phased array are configured to apply a phase shift to one or more beams of generated illumination in different ones of said plurality of adjacent waveguides.

17. The apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 1, wherein said plurality of adjacent waveguide segments of said waveguide configured as a phased array are configured to control which of different ones of the plurality of parallel waveguides carry generated beams at any particular time.

18. The apparatus for generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first input light beam and said second input light beam is a continuous-wave laser beam.

19. A method of generating and steering electromagnetic radiation, comprising the steps of:

providing a structure comprising;

a substrate having a surface; and

a waveguide adjacent said surface of said substrate, said waveguide having at least one input port for receiving a first input light beam having a first frequency and a second input light beam having a second frequency different from said first frequency, and configured to have a plurality of adjacent waveguide segments, said plurality of adjacent waveguide segments of said waveguide configured as a phased array;

said waveguide is configured so that, in response to a first input light beam provided as a first laser beam having a first frequency, and a second input light beam provided as a second laser beam having a second frequency, an output electromagnetic radiation beam is generated that includes a signal at a frequency corresponding to a difference between said first frequency of said first input light beam and said second frequency of said second input light beam, said output electromagnetic radiation beam configured to be steered by said phased array;

providing a first continuous-wave laser beam having a first frequency as input at said at least one input port;

providing a second continuous-wave laser beam having a second frequency different from said first frequency as input at said at least one input port, and

observing electromagnetic radiation at a difference frequency between said first frequency of said first input laser beam and said second frequency of said second input laser beam.

20. The method of generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 19, further comprising the step of controlling a relative phase of illumination passing through different ones of said plurality of adjacent waveguides.

21. The method of generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 19, further comprising the step of applying a phase shift to one or more beams of generated illumination in different ones of said plurality of adjacent waveguides.

22. The method of generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 19, further comprising the step of controlling which of different ones of the plurality of parallel waveguides carry generated beams at any particular time.

23. The method of generating and steering electromagnetic radiation of claim 19, further comprising the step of controlling an intensity of said generated electromagnetic radiation.