Two strategies for modeling nonlinear optics in lossy integrated photonic structures

Abstract

We present two complementary strategies for modeling nonlinear quantum optics in realistic integrated optical devices, where scattering loss is present. In the first strategy, we model scattering loss as an attenuation; in the second, we employ a Hamiltonian treatment that includes a mechanism for scattering loss, such as a `phantom waveguide.' These strategies can be applied to a broad range of structures and processes. As an example, we use these two approaches to model spontaneous four-wave mixing in (i) a ring-channel system and (ii) an add-drop system. Even for these well-understood systems, our strategies yield some novel results. We show the rates of photon pairs, broken pairs, and lost pairs and their dependence on system parameters. We show that the properties of lost and broken photon pairs in such structures can be related to those of the un-scattered photon pairs, which are relatively simple to measure.