Broadband second harmonic generation in a tapered isotropic semiconductor slab using total internal reflection quasi phase matching

Abstract

This paper analytically describes the concept of enhancing the bandwidth of second-harmonic generation in the mid-infrared region in an isotropic tapered semiconductor slab configuration. In this slab geometry, the lengths between successive reflection points due to total internal reflection of the incident laser radiation increase when it propagates through the slab. A computer aided simulation has been carried out to determine the possibility of generating broadband second harmonic intensity for broadband fundamental laser radiations as they are allowed to undergo total internal reflection inside the tapered isotropic semiconductor crystal slab made of either gallium arsenide (GaAs) or zinc selenide (ZnSe). The simulated results indicate wide 3 dB bandwidths of 187 nm and 196 nm in a 30 mm long tapered slab of GaAs and ZnSe respectively. The conversion efficiency, after considering the absorption and reflection losses, is quite satisfactory (≈ 1%). The effects of variations in temperature, incident angle of the fundamental laser radiations at the air-slab interface, length and tapering angle of the semiconductor slab have been studied for generated second harmonic radiations in both GaAs and ZnSe crystals. Optimising these parameters a wider broadband frequency converter with appreciable conversion efficiency can be designed.