Efficient non-linear phase shifting using a photonic band gap structure

• US 6,538,794 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2000
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Secretary of the Army
• Original Assignee: United States Secretary of the Army
• Inventors: Bloemer, Mark, Sibilia, Concita, Scalora, Michael, Centini, Marco, DʼAguanno, Giuseppe
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hung Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMPSON, TIMOTHY J
• Application Number:
  US09/672,835
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 359/279, 359/248, 359/260, 359/263, 359/586, 359/587, 359/588, 359/589, 372/22, 372/21
• US Class Current: 359/279
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3515 All-optical modulation, gating, switching, e.g. control of a light beam by another light beam G02F1/353, G02F1/37, G02F1/39 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/37 for second-harmonic generation G02F1/3532 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/32 Photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/50 Phase-only modulation

Abstract

A device is provided for generating a photonic signal having a phase different from an input photonic signal that is incident on the device. The input photonic signal has an signal frequency, signal bandwidth, and a signal intensity. The device comprises a plurality of material layers. The material layers are arranged such that the device exhibits a photonic band gap structure. The photonic band gap structure exhibits a transmission band edge that corresponds to the input photonic signal frequency. A second photonic signal is generated at a second photonic frequency preferably close to a second band edge. The interaction of the input photonic signal with the second photonic signal generates a phase shift of order π for relatively small input intensities.

Claims

1. A device for generating an output photonic signal having a phase different from an input photonic signal incident on the device, the input photonic signal having an input photonic signal frequency, an input photonic signal bandwidth, and an input photonic signal intensity, comprising:

a plurality of material layers;

wherein said material layers are arranged such that the device exhibits a photonic band gap structure, wherein said photonic band gap structure exhibits a transmission band edge corresponding to the input photonic signal frequency, and wherein an interaction of the input photonic signal with said arrangement of layers generates a non-linear phase shift in the output photonic signal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of material layers comprises:

a plurality of first material layers; and

a plurality of second material layers.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said first and second material layers are arranged in a periodically alternating manner such that the arrangement formed therefrom exhibits said photonic band gap structure.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein said first material layer has a first index of refraction and said second material layer has a second index of refraction, said first index of refraction and said second index of refraction being different.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein said first material layer has a first thickness and said second material layer has a second thickness, said first thickness and said second thickness being different.

7. The device according to claim 2, wherein a length of the device is less than 10 micrometers.

8. The device according to claim 2, wherein said phase shift is of order π

.

13. The device of claim 2, wherein said first and second material layers are arranged in an aperiodic manner.

6. A device for generating an output photonic signal having a phase different from an input photonic signal incident on the device, the input photonic signal having an input photonic signal frequency, an input photonic signal bandwidth, and an input photonic signal intensity, comprising:

a plurality of material layers;

wherein said material layers are arranged such that the device exhibits a photonic band gap structure, wherein said photonic band gap structure exhibits a transmission band edge corresponding to the input photonic signal frequency, and wherein an interaction of the input photonic signal with said arrangement of layers generates a phase shift in the output photonic signal, wherein said plurality of material layers comprises;

a plurality of first material layers; and

a plurality of second material layers, wherein said first and second material layers respectively comprise Al₂O₃ and Al_30%Ga_70%As semiconductor layers, said first and second layers being formed on a semiconductor substrate.

9. A device for generating an output photonic signal having a phase different from an input photonic signal incident on the device, the input photonic signal having an input photonic signal frequency, an input photonic signal bandwidth, and an input photonic signal intensity, comprising:

a plurality of material layers;

wherein said material layers are arranged such that the device exhibits a photonic band gap structure, wherein said photonic band gap structure exhibits a transmission band edge corresponding to the input photonic signal frequency, and wherein an interaction of the input photonic signal with said arrangement of layers generates a phase shift in the output photonic signal, wherein said plurality of material layers comprises;

a plurality of first material layers; and

a plurality of second material layers, wherein the input photonic signal is tuned at a first resonance near a first band edge and a second photonic signal is tuned at a first resonance near a second band edge.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the second photonic signal is a second harmonic of the input photonic signal.

11. A device for generating an output photonic signal having a phase different from an input photonic signal incident on the device, the input photonic signal having an input photonic signal frequency, an input photonic signal bandwidth, and an input photonic signal intensity, comprising:

a plurality of material layers;

wherein said material layers are arranged such that the device exhibits a photonic band gap structure, wherein said photonic band gap structure exhibits a transmission band edge corresponding to the input photonic signal frequency, and wherein an interaction of the input photonic signal with said arrangement of layers generates a phase shift in the output photonic signal, wherein said plurality of material layers comprises;

a plurality of first material layers; and

a plurality of second material layers, wherein the input photonic signal and a second photonic signal are phase mismatched.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the second photonic signal is a second harmonic of the input photonic signal.

14. A device for generating an output photonic signal having a phase different from an input photonic signal incident on the device, the input photonic signal having an input photonic signal frequency, an input photonic signal bandwidth, and an input photonic signal intensity, comprising:

a plurality of material layers;

wherein said material layers are arranged such that the device exhibits a photonic band gap structure, wherein said photonic band gap structure exhibits a transmission band edge corresponding to the input photonic signal frequency, and wherein an interaction of the input photonic signal with said arrangement of layers generates a phase shift in the output photonic signal, wherein said plurality of material layers comprises;

a plurality of first material layers; and

a plurality of second material layers, wherein said first and second material layers respectively comprise Al₂O₃ and Al_30%Ga_70%As semiconductor layers, said first and second layers being formed on a dielectric substrate.

15. A method of generating an output photonic signal having a phase different from an input photonic signal having an input photonic signal frequency, an input photonic signal bandwidth, and an input photonic signal intensity, comprising the steps of:

selecting the frequency and intensity of the input photonic signal so as to produce a second signal at a desired second harmonic frequency;

providing a device comprising a plurality of material layers;

wherein said material layers are arranged such that said device exhibits a photonic band gap structure, wherein said photonic band gap structure exhibits a transmission band edge corresponding to the input photonic signal frequency, and wherein an interaction of the input photonic signal with said arrangement of layers generates a non-linear phase shift in the output photonic signal; and

inputting the input photonic signal into said device to generate said non-linear phase shift.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said plurality of material layers comprises:

a plurality of first material layers; and

a plurality of second material layers.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said first and second material layers are arranged in a periodically alternating manner such that the arrangement formed therefrom exhibits said photonic band gap structure.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said first material layer has a first index of refraction and said second material layer has a second index of refraction, said first index of refraction and said second index of refraction being different.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said first material layer has a first thickness and said second material layer has a second thickness, said first thickness and said second thickness being different.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein said device has a length of less than 10 micrometers.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein said phase shift is of order π

.

20. A method of generating an output photonic signal having a phase different from an input photonic signal having an input photonic signal frequency, an input photonic signal bandwidth, and an input photonic signal intensity, comprising the steps of:

selecting the frequency and intensity of the input photonic signal so as to produce a second signal at a desired second harmonic frequency;

providing a device comprising a plurality of material layers;

wherein said material layers are arranged such that said device exhibits a photonic band gap structure, wherein said photonic band gap structure exhibits a transmission band edge corresponding to the input photonic signal frequency, and wherein an interaction of the input photonic signal with said arrangement of layers generates a phase shift in the output photonic signal; and

inputting the input photonic signal into said device to generate said phase shift, wherein said plurality of material layers comprises;

a plurality of first material layers; and

a plurality of second material layers, wherein said first and second material layers respectively comprise Al₂O₃ and A_30%Ga_70%As semiconductor layers, said first and second layers being formed on a semiconductor substrate.

23. A method of generating an output photonic signal having a phase different from an input photonic signal having an input photonic signal frequency, an input photonic signal bandwidth, and an input photonic signal intensity, comprising the steps of:

selecting the frequency and intensity of the input photonic signal so as to produce a second signal at a desired second harmonic frequency;

providing a device comprising a plurality of material layers;

wherein said material layers are arranged such that said device exhibits a photonic band gap structure, wherein said photonic band gap structure exhibits a transmission band edge corresponding to the input photonic signal frequency, and wherein an interaction of the input photonic signal with said arrangement of layers generates a phase shift in the output photonic signal; and

inputting the input photonic signal into said device to generate said phase shift, wherein said plurality of material layers comprises;

a plurality of first material layers; and

a plurality of second material layers, wherein said first and second material layers respectively comprise Al₂O₃ and Al_30%Ga_70%As semiconductor layers, said first and second layers being formed on a dielectric substrate.

24. A method of generating an output photonic signal having a phase different from an input photonic signal having an input photonic signal frequency, an input photonic signal bandwidth, and an input photonic signal intensity, comprising the steps of:

selecting the frequency and intensity of the input photonic signal so as to produce a second signal at a desired second harmonic frequency;

providing a device comprising a plurality of material layers;

wherein said material layers are arranged such that said device exhibits a photonic band gap structure, wherein said photonic band gap structure exhibits a transmission band edge corresponding to the input photonic signal frequency, and wherein an interaction of the input photonic signal with said arrangement of layers generates a phase shift in the output photonic signal; and

inputting the input photonic signal into said device to generate said phase shift, wherein said plurality of material layers comprises;

a plurality of first material layers; and

a plurality of second material layers, wherein the input photonic signal is tuned at a first resonance near a first band edge and a second photonic signal is tuned at a first resonance near a second band edge.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the second photonic signal is a second harmonic of the input photonic signal.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the input photonic signal and a second photonic signal are phase mismatched.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the second photonic signal is a second harmonic of the input photonic signal.

28. A phase shifter device, comprising:

a plurality of material layers that exhibit a photonic band gap structure and that interact with an input photonic signal to generate an output photonic signal having a phase shift relative to the input photonic signal, wherein said plurality of material layers interact in response to the input photonic signal to generate an output photonic signal having a mismatched phase shift relative to the input photonic signal.

29. A phase shifter device, comprising:

a plurality of material layers that exhibit a photonic band gap structure and that interact with an input photonic signal to generate an output photonic signal having a phase shift relative to the input photonic signal, wherein said plurality of material layers have an interaction based on at least a χ

⁽²⁾ susceptibility in the material layers.

30. A method for non-linear phase shifting, comprising the steps of:

tuning a plurality of material layers to exhibit a photonic band gap structure;

receiving an input photonic signal at said tuned plurality of material layers; and

generating an output photonic signal having a non-linear phase shift relative to the input photonic signal based on interaction of the tuned material layers with the received input photonic signal.

31. The phase shifter device of claim 30, wherein said generating step generates an output photonic signal having a mismatched phase shift relative to the input photonic signal.

32. The phase shifter device of claim 30, wherein said generating step generates the output photonic signal based on at least a χ

⁽²⁾ susceptibility in the tuned material layers.