Picosecond-pulse wavelength conversion based on cascaded second-harmonic generation-difference frequency generation in a periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide

The wavelength conversion of picosecond optical pulses based on the cascaded second-harmonic generation-difference-frequency generation process in a MgO-doped periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide is studied both experimentally and theoretically. In the experiments, the picosecond pulses are generated from a 40 GHz mode-locked fiber laser and two tunable filters, with which the lasing wavelength can be tuned from 1530 to 1570 nm, and the pulse width can be tuned from 2 to 7 ps. New-frequency pulses, i.e., converted pulses, are generated when the picosecond pulse train and a cw wave interact in the waveguide. The conversion characteristics are systematically investigated when the pulsed and cw waves are alternatively taken as the pump at the quasi-phase-matching wavelength of the device. In particular, the conversion dependences on input pulse width, average power, and pump wavelength are examined quantitatively. Based on the temporal and spectral characteristics of wavelength conversion, a comprehensive analysis on conversion efficiency is presented. The simulation results are in good agreement with the measured data.     

Flat broadband wavelength conversion based on cascaded second-harmonic generation and difference frequency generation in segmented quasi-phase matched gratings

Bandwidth enhancement and response flattening of wavelength conversion based on single-pass and double-pass cascaded second harmonic generation and difference frequency generation were investigated in segmented quasi-phase matched (QPM) gratings. It is shown that the signal and pump bandwidths are both efficiently widened by increasing the segment number of the QPM grating and optimising the poling period of each segment. The ripple on the matching response is also very small. The conversion bandwidth in a 3-cm-long three-segment waveguide reaches 150–160?nm, which is over the whole conventional band and long-wavelength band. Larger signal bandwidth can be obtained with a little response flatness penalty and conversion efficiency penalty, which can be compensated by increasing the input pump power. Compared with a sinusoidally chirped optical superlattice device, a wavelength converter based on the segmented gratings has higher conversion efficiency, broader bandwidth and better pump-wavelength tolerance, and is easier to fabricate in practice.     

Far-field imaging of optical second-harmonic generation in single GaN nanowires

Means for assessing the nonlinear optical properties of nanoscale materials are of key importance for the advancement of active nanophotonics. By correlating second-harmonic generation (SHG) with electron backscattered diffraction from single GaN nanowires (NWs), we demonstrate that far-field microscopic imaging of SHG offers an approach for distinguishing crystallographic orientations of NWs lying on a substrate. The quasi-static approximation, which should prove useful in describing many nanophotonic behaviors, is shown to satisfactorily account for the SHG data.     

Temporal solitons in second-harmonic generation with a noncollinear phase-mismatching scheme

A noncollinear second-harmonic-generation scheme that includes two gratings and a nonlinear optical crystal generates temporal solitons with a noncollinear phase mismatch and frequency-chirped laser pulses. At 180-fs pulse duration, 25-GW/cm2 fundamental intensity, -7647.3-m(-1) wave-vector mismatch, 66-fs delay time, and +/-3.07163 x 10(25) s(-2) frequency-chirp rates, temporal solitons with durations from 139 to 155 fs and Gaussian shapes can be obtained. The corresponding conversion efficiency is greater than 40%.     

LaBGeO5 single crystals in glass and second-harmonic generation

Flower-shaped crystals with diameters of 100–200 μm consisting of LaBGeO₅ (LBGO) single crystals similar to petals were observed in the interior of transparent LBGO surface-crystallized glasses. Each flower-shaped crystal was radially grown from the surface of the included bubbles. A more intense second-harmonic generation was observed from the LBGO crystallized glasses with the flower-shaped LBGO single crystals compared to the samples without such crystals based on the Maker fringe technique and second-harmonic (SH) generation microscopy. The SH intensity for the flower-shaped LBGO single crystals monotonically decreased with increasing temperature up to 350 °C, less than the Curie temperature reported so far (530 °C). It is considered that the internal compressive stress induced by the difference in the thermal expansion between the LBGO single crystal and the corresponding glass affect the ferroelectric property of the flower-shaped LBGO single crystals in glass.     

Quantitative second-harmonic generation microscopy in collagen

The second-harmonic signal in collagen, even in highly organized samples such as rat tail tendon fascicles, varies significantly with position. Previous studies suggest that this variability may be due to the parallel and antiparallel orientation of neighboring collagen fibrils. We applied high-resolution second-harmonic generation microscopy to confirm this hypothesis. Studies in which the focal spot diameter was varied from approximately 1 to approximately 6 microm strongly suggest that regions in which collagen fibrils have the same orientation in rat tail tendon are likely to be less than approximately 1 microm in diameter. These measurements required accurate determination of the focal spot size achieved by use of different microscope objectives; we developed a technique that uses second-harmonic generation in a quartz reference to measure the focal spot diameter directly. We also used the quartz reference to determine a lower limit (dXXX > 0.4 pm/V) for the magnitude of the second-order nonlinear susceptibility in collagen.     

Effect of MgO doping of periodically poled lithium niobate on second-harmonic generation of femtosecond laser pulses

We theoretically analyze type-I broadband second-harmonic generation (SHG) of femtosecond laser pulses based on a quasi-phase-matching configuration in periodically poled congruent LiNbO3 (LN) andperiodically poled MgO:LiNbO3 (PPMgLN) (5% and 7%). Group-velocity matching (GVM) can be achieved at the fundamental waves of 1.59, 1.56, and 1.55 microm for SHG when the three types of crystals have grating periods of 22.31, 20.07, and 23.45 microm, respectively. It is found that the central wavelength of the fundamental wave for GVM will increase with the decrease of MgO doping in LN. It is concluded that the shift of the GVM central wavelength is due to the difference of MgO doping, which changes the dispersion of the crystal. Therefore, tunable and high efficiency broadband SHG of femtosecond laser pulses in a long crystal can be realized by selecting different doping rates of PPMgLN.     

Second-harmonic generation in second-harmonic fiber Bragg gratings

We consider the production of second-harmonic light in gratings resonant with the generated field, through a Green's function approach. We recover some standard results and obtain new limits for the uniform grating case. With the extension to nonuniform gratings, we find the Green's function for the second harmonic in a grating with an arbitrary phase shift at some point. We then obtain closed form approximate expressions for the generated light for phase shifts close to π/2 and at the center of the grating. Finally, comparing the uniform and phase-shifted gratings with homogeneous materials, we discuss the enhancement in generated light and the bandwidth over which it occurs, and the consequences for second-harmonic generation in optical fiber Bragg gratings.     

Relative measurements of second-order susceptibility with reflective second-harmonic generation

There is a strong demand for a simple and reliable technique for second-order susceptibility measurements of thin films. Since the Maker fringe technique is limited to transparent substrates we propose an experimental protocol based on reflective second-harmonic generation (SHG). The proposed protocol is based on relative measurements of Z-cut quartz. An analytical expression of the reflective SHG intensity dependence of the polarizer, analyzer, and sample azimuth is presented. An error analysis is also presented. Thin organic film of the side-chain polymer poly(Disperse Red 1 Methacrylate-Co-Methyl-Methacrylate) is investigated. Results for different wavelengths are reported.     

First-order quasi-phase-matched second-harmonic generation in a LiTaO(3) waveguide

We achieved improvement in conversion efficiency in a first-order quasi-phase-matched second-harmonic generation device that uses a LiTaO(3) waveguide by experimentally characterizing the device process and the performances. Efficient overlaps among propagation light modes and the first-order periodically domain-inverted region are gained in a strongly confined waveguide fabricated by use of proton exchange annealed by a quick heat treatment. A blue-light power of 22 mW is obtained for a conversion efficiency of 18% by using a Ti:Al(2)O(3) laser. The observed FWHM temperature and wavelength acceptance bandwidths for second-harmonic generation power are 2.5 °C and 0.13 nm, respectively. Using this device with antireflection coating on the input and output facets of the waveguide, we generate 1.3 mW of blue light for a conversion efficiency of 4% by direct diode-laser doubling.     

Temporal properties of the second-harmonic generation of a short pulse

The time-dependent characteristics of the second-harmonic generation of a short pulse are investigated theoretically. Transient coupled-wave equations are necessary to describe the time-dependent process of the second-harmonic generation of a short pulse. It is found that the fundamental waves experience both pulse broadening and compression with different waveform distortion during the frequency-doubling process. The pulse width of a frequency-doubled wave broadens monotonically along the crystal length. There is no phase distortion in the case of exact phase matching. Phase modulation (i.e., chirp) occurs only when there is phase mismatch and chirp can be determined by the phase mismatch.     

Simple method of detecting ferroelectric domains with non-phase-matched second-harmonic generation

We demonstrate a new method of detecting the presence of ferroelectric domains based on non-phase-matched second-harmonic generation. If a domain boundary is tilted relative to the input and output faces of the crystal, the far-field second-harmonic light consists of multiple beams, in contrast to the single beam generated in a single-domain crystal. The angular separation of the beams provides a measure of the tilt of the domain wall if the refractive-index difference n(2omega) - n(omega) is known.     

Surface second-harmonic generation from vertical GaP nanopillars

We report on the experimental observation and analysis of second-harmonic generation (SHG) from vertical GaP nanopillars. Periodic arrays of GaP nanopillars with varying diameters ranging from 100 to 250 nm were fabricated on (100) undoped GaP substrate by nanosphere lithography and dry etching. We observed a strong dependence of the SHG intensity on pillar diameter. Analysis of surface and bulk contributions to SHG from the pillars including the calculations of the electric field profiles and coupling efficiencies is in very good agreement with the experimental data. Complementary measurements of surface optical phonons by Raman spectroscopy are also in agreement with the calculated field intensities at the surface. Finally, polarization of the measured light is used to distinguish between the bulk and surface SHG from GaP nanopillars.     

Second-harmonic generation and cascaded second-order processes in a counterpropagating quasi-phase-matched device

Numerical solutions to the nonlinear coupled-wave equations of a counterpropagating quasi-phase-matched device are analyzed by numerical methods for both second-harmonic generation and cascaded processes. Normalized derivations for second-harmonic generation efficiency are also presented. The nonlinear phase shifts acquired in this device by cascaded second-order processes are promising in all-optical-switching applications. Specifically, a pi/2 phase shift is shown to be achievable with 42 times less input intensity than the standard Type I configuration and 100% throughput. The effects of metallic mirrors are also presented. Careful use of the phase mismatch is shown to compensate for nonideal mirrors. Finally, conservation of power in this configuration is briefly investigated.     

Local field asymmetry drives second-harmonic generation in non-centrosymmetric nanodimers

We demonstrate that second-harmonic generation (SHG) from arrays of non-centrosymmetric T-shaped gold nanodimers with a nanogap arises from asymmetry in the local fundamental field distribution and is not related strictly to nanogap size. Calculations show that the local field contains orthogonal polarization components not present in the exciting field, which yield the dominant SHG response. The strongest SHG responses occur through the local surface susceptibility of the particles for a fundamental field distributed asymmetrically at the particle perimeters. Weak responses result from more symmetric distributions despite high field enhancement in the nanogap. Nearly constant field enhancement persists for relatively large nanogap sizes.     

Efficiency of non-phase-matched second-harmonic generation by Gaussian pulses

Conversion efficiency contour plots for second-harmonic generation by optical pulses exhibiting Gaussian temporal and spatial profiles are calculated numerically based on the monochromatic plane-wave theory. Comparison with a similar plot for pump pulses constant in time and space shows that Gaussian pulses convert less efficiently at low nonlinear drives and more efficiently in a specific range of high drives. This effect is due to the intensity-dependent period of conversion. We calculated the harmonic pulse shapes using the suggested computational routine and found them to depend on the magnitude of drive as well. The pulse shape is nearly Gaussian at low drives, but it becomes severely distorted at intermediate and high drives. It is shown that the conversion efficiency contour plots provide a convenient tool for evaluating the trade-off between the desirable efficiency and other parameters of the conversion process in the case of Gaussian pulses.     

All-prism achromatic phase matching for tunable second-harmonic generation

Achromatic phase matching (APM) involves dispersing the light entering a nonlinear optical crystal so that a wide range of wavelengths is simultaneously phase matched. We constructed an APM apparatus consisting of six prisms, the final dispersion angle of which was optimized to match to second order in wavelength the type I phase-matching angle of beta barium borate (BBO). With this apparatus, we doubled tunable fundamental light from 620 to 700 nm in wavelength using a 4-mm-long BBO crystal. An analogous set of six prisms after the BBO crystal, optimized to second order in second-harmonic wavelength, realigned the output second-harmonic beams. Computer simulations predict that adjustment of a single prism can compensate angular misalignment of any or all the prisms before the crystal, and similarly for the prisms after the crystal. We demonstrated such compensation with the experimental device. The simulations also indicate that the phase-matching wavelength band can be shifted and optimized for different crystal lengths.     

Plasmon-enhanced second-harmonic generation from ionic self-assembled multilayer films

We have demonstrated large enhancements of the effective second-order nonlinear susceptibility (chi(2)) of ionic self-assembled multilayer (ISAM) films, causing a film with just 3 bilayers to be optically equivalent to a 700-1000 bilayer film. This was accomplished by using nanosphere lithography to deposit silver nanoparticles on the ISAM film, tuning the geometry of the particles to make their plasmonic resonances overlap the frequency of optical excitation. An enhancement in the efficiency of second harmonic generation (SHG) by as much as 1600 times was observed. Even though this is already a large value, we suggest that further refinements of the techniques are expected to lead to additional enhancements of similar or larger magnitude.     

Composition dependence of thermally induced second-harmonic generation in chalcohalide glasses

By investigating the second-harmonic generation (SHG) of the series (100 − 2x)GeS₂·xGa₂S₃·xPbI₂ (x = 5, 10, 15, and 20) chalcohalide glass samples after thermal poling, it was found that there was an optimal poling temperature for each composition and there was also a relation between optimal poling temperature and glass transition temperature. With increasing x, the obtained second-order susceptibility χ⁽²⁾ shows an increase first and then decrease, and the maximum was seen at x = 15. A dipole reorientation model and structural relaxation causing by Ga₂S₃ and PbI₂ were proposed to explain the dependence of poling temperature on SH intensity for each composition and the presence of the maximum χ⁽²⁾ in this chalcohalide glass series.