Wavelength Conversion Research Articles

Simultaneous bi-directional all-optical multipoint-to-multipoint switching for free-space optical communication networks

A new, to our knowledge, simultaneous bi-directional all-optical multipoint-to-multipoint switching scheme is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for free-space optical (FSO) communication networks. Through tuning the optical switch at the core node, the communication link between each two arbitrary remote nodes can be established. The multipoint transmission performance is tested in a turbulence-tunable atmospheric cell using a 6.25 Gbit/s quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) signal. At the bit error rate (BER) of 1×10−3, the power penalty is <3.5dB with a 250°C temperature difference of the atmospheric cell. Moreover, this scheme is compatible with all-optical wavelength conversion, which can achieve strict transparency for different modulation formats. Our proposed scheme offers the possibility to provide an efficient, low-cost, and high-speed method for simultaneous bi-directional all-optical multipoint-to-multipoint FSO communications.

Conversion of 30 W laser light at 1064 nm to 20 W at 2128 nm and comparison of relative power noise

Abstract All current gravitational wave (GW) observatories operate with Nd:YAG lasers with a wavelength of 1064 nm. The sensitivity of future GW observatories could benefit significantly from changing the laser wavelength to approximately 2 μm combined with exchanging the current room temperature test mass mirrors with cryogenically cooled crystalline silicon test masses with mirror coatings from amorphous silicon and amorphous silicon nitride layers. Laser light of the order of ten watts with a low relative power noise would be required. Here we use a laboratory-built degenerate optical parametric oscillator (OPO) to convert the light from a high-power Nd:YAG laser to 2128 nm. With an input power of 30 W, we achieve an output power of 20 W, which corresponds to an external conversion efficiency of approximately 67%. We find that the relative power noise spectrum marginally increases during the wavelength conversion process. Our result is an important step in the development of low-noise light around 2 μm based on existing low-noise Nd:YAG lasers.

Quadratic-soliton-enhanced mid-IR molecular sensing

Optical solitons have long been of interest both from a fundamental perspective and because of their application potential. Both cubic (Kerr) and quadratic nonlinearities can lead to soliton formation, but quadratic solitons can practically benefit from stronger nonlinearity and achieve substantial wavelength conversion. However, despite their rich physics, quadratic cavity solitons have been used only for broadband frequency comb generation, especially in the mid-infrared. Here, we show that the formation dynamics of mid-infrared quadratic cavity solitons, specifically temporal simultons in optical parametric oscillators, can be effectively leveraged to enhance molecular sensing. We demonstrate significant sensitivity enhancement while circumventing constraints of traditional cavity enhancement mechanisms. We perform experiments sensing CO2 using cavity simultons around 4 μm and achieve an enhancement of 6000. Additionally, we demonstrate large sensitivity at high concentrations of CO2, beyond what can be achieved using an equivalent high-finesse linear cavity by orders of magnitude. Our results highlight a path for utilizing quadratic cavity nonlinear dynamics and solitons for molecular sensing beyond what can be achieved using linear methods.

Measurement of Tunable Optical Delay Using Wavelength Conversion and Fiber Dispersion

In fiber communication system, delay elements are essential for coherent receivers and in the situation of time division multiplexing. Optical communication is transmitted with light. It has a propagation delay. So, in this system, the performance of optical delay element is demonstrated on wavelength conversion, effects of single mode fiber (SMF) dispersion and fiber length. A numerical simulation is used to predict the performance of delay element for different experimental conditions. It has been proven that when the wavelength is changed and its element covers the entire C band. The system is used with the suitable optical pump power and various fiber lengths. It is accomplished with the various parameters by using Opti-system Software. The system operates near 1550 nm and generates delays time approximately 2.65 nanoseconds. In this paper, the performance value is also stated the table which is comparison of theorical result and practical result of delay time.

Efficient photon-pair generation in layer-poled lithium niobate nanophotonic waveguides

Integrated photon-pair sources are crucial for scalable photonic quantum systems. Thin-film lithium niobate is a promising platform for on-chip photon-pair generation through spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC). However, the device implementation faces practical challenges. Periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN), despite enabling flexible quasi-phase matching, suffers from poor fabrication reliability and device repeatability, while conventional modal phase matching (MPM) methods yield limited efficiencies due to inadequate mode overlaps. Here, we introduce a layer-poled lithium niobate (LPLN) nanophotonic waveguide for efficient photon-pair generation. It leverages layer-wise polarity inversion through electrical poling to break spatial symmetry and significantly enhance nonlinear interactions for MPM, achieving a notable normalized second-harmonic generation (SHG) conversion efficiency of 4615% W−1cm−2. Through a cascaded SHG and SPDC process, we demonstrate photon-pair generation with a normalized brightness of 3.1 × 106 Hz nm−1 mW−2 in a 3.3 mm long LPLN waveguide, surpassing existing on-chip sources under similar operating configurations. Crucially, our LPLN waveguides offer enhanced fabrication reliability and reduced sensitivity to geometric variations and temperature fluctuations compared to PPLN devices. We expect LPLN to become a promising solution for on-chip nonlinear wavelength conversion and non-classical light generation, with immediate applications in quantum communication, networking, and on-chip photonic quantum information processing.

Broadband continuous-wave mid-infrared wavelength conversion in high-Q silicon microring resonators

Broadband continuous-wave mid-infrared wavelength conversion in high-<i>Q</i> silicon microring resonators

Field trial of stable radio frequency transfer system in 200 km metropolitan optical fiber link.

In this paper, we demonstrate stable radio frequency (RF) transfer via metropolitan optical fiber link in the Beijing area. The phase variation of the RF signal is compensated by a phase conjugation method incorporating two high-performance phase-locked loops. The wavelength conversion module extends the transmission length to 200 km with only two parallel 50 km dark optical fibers available. We optimize the configuration of dispersion compensation and optical amplification due to the high loss (0.31 dB/km) of the optical fiber link. At the same time, comparative experiments verify the short-term instability limitation that arises from the group velocity dispersion of the optical fiber link. The measured standard Allan deviation of the 2.4GHz RF transmission system with dispersion compensation is 4.5 × 10-14/1 and 2.6 × 10-17/20 000s, which is superior to that of the reference rubidium clock. The short-term instability of the system is deteriorated to 2.5 × 10-13/1s without dispersion compensation.

Generation of 1 MHz 15 fs pulses in the near-infrared with high energy and their application to time-resolved spectroscopy

Ultrashort pulses with a duration of ∼10 fs are crucial to fully resolve nuclear motions in molecules and materials. Here, we employ nonlinear pulse compression using photonic crystal fiber in the near-infrared region to generate ultrashort pulses at a high repetition rate with significant pulse energy. Femtosecond pulses centered around 1200 nm from a cavity-dumped optical parametric oscillator are compressed to a duration of 15 fs. The pulse energy reaches several tens of nanojoules, sufficient for wavelength conversion via nonlinear processes. Second harmonic generation produces clean 13 fs pulses at around 600 nm with pulse energy of 4 nJ. The effectiveness of nonlinear pulse compression using photonic crystal fiber for ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopy is demonstrated through time-resolved fluorescence (photoluminescence) and transient absorption apparatus, utilizing the second harmonic as pump pulses. Specifically, a time resolution of ∼20 fs is achieved in a time-resolved fluorescence experiment, enabling the recording of nuclear wave packets over 1200 cm−1 by spontaneous fluorescence. The high repetition rate at the megahertz level significantly improved the signal quality.

Harmonic‐Assisted Super‐Resolution Rotational Measurement

AbstractEnhancing rotational measurement resolution and broadening the detectable spectral range are two critical and unresolved matters within the realm of motion perception. The rotational Doppler effect (RDE) is combined with the harmonic generation process to create a rotational measurement scheme that offers flexible detection wavelength conversion, exponential improvement of measurement resolution, and real‐time display of detection results. In the experiments, a cascaded second harmonic generation process is employed to attain a fourfold enhancement in rotational resolution and demonstrate how low‐cost silicon‐based detectors can be used for real‐time detection of infrared objects. This scheme employs a Gaussian beam within the nonlinear process to achieve high conversion efficiency, thereby enabling potential for subsequent cascade amplification. Additionally, it is fully compatible with existing RDE schemes, allowing for co‐amplification of rotational resolution at both the front‐end and back‐end. This research could offer a more precise and cost‐effective method for remote sensing detection.

Metalorganic Vapor‐Phase Epitaxy of +c/−c GaN Polarity Inverted Bilayer for Transverse Quasi‐Phase‐Matched Wavelength Conversion Device

Photon‐pair generation based on optical parametric down‐conversion has attracted for the application as a light source for quantum information. Highly efficient wavelength‐conversion devices require a polarity‐inversion structure when using nitride semiconductors. A transverse quasi‐phase‐matching (QPM) polarity‐inverted GaN bilayer channel waveguide device is suitable for efficient wavelength conversion. This study designed a cross‐section device to satisfy the modal dispersion phase‐matching condition between the TM02 mode pump light and the TM00 mode signal/idler light. Moreover, an AlN oxidation interlayer fabricates the Ga‐polar/N‐polar (+c/−c) GaN layers via metalorganic vapor‐phase epitaxy (MOVPE). A 145 nm thick film layer with a macro‐step‐free surface is grown by optimizing the −c‐GaN growth conditions and reducing the substrate off‐angle to 0.2°. Next, the AlN layer is oxidized in an electric furnace and MOVPE is used to regrow a 1500 nm thick +c‐GaN layer. A macrosteps‐free surface can be achieved by reducing the off‐angle to 0.2° and optimizing the −c‐GaN growth conditions to avoid hillock formation. These results pave the way for improving the efficiency of GaN transverse QPM wavelength‐conversion devices.

Highly stable wavelength converting composite based on sol–gel derived siloxane-encapsulated luminescent nanocrystals

Luminescent nanocrystals (NCs) have emerged as the high-performance wavelength converting materials in next-generation displays and energy conversion devices due to their unique optophysical properties, such as large Stokes or anti-Stokes shifts, narrow emission bandwidth, and tunable bandgap depending on size or composition. However, poor long-term stability in high temperature and humidity remains a critical issue for device applications. This instability is primarily due to irreversible changes in surface ligands or chemical structures/compositions when exposed to various severe environments. Various strategies have been reported to address these issues, such as the formation of inorganic shell layers and the fabrication of polymer-based nanocomposites. Although these strategies have improved stability, they exhibit degraded properties during long-term aging. Recently, sol–gel derived siloxane hybrid materials have been introduced to achieve stability for various NCs under actual operating conditions of displays and optoelectronic devices. This review will address recent progress in developing siloxane-encapsulated NCs with high stability in high temperature/humidity and under continuous light exposure. It will also introduce results on enhancing the environmental stability of various NCs, including lanthanide-doped transition metal-based NCs, semiconducting NCs, and metal halide perovskite NCs, as well as demonstrations of reliable devices.Graphical

Topologically Protected Parametric Wavelength Conversion in a Valley Hall Insulator (Laser Photonics Rev. 18(9)/2024)

Topologically Protected Parametric Wavelength Conversion in a Valley Hall Insulator (Laser Photonics Rev. 18(9)/2024)

Third-order nonlinear wavelength conversion in chalcogenide glass waveguides towards mid-infrared photonics

Abstract The increasing demand in spectroscopy and sensing calls for infrared (mid-IR) light sources. Here, we theoretically investigate nonlinear wavelength conversion of Ge28Sb12Se60 chalcogenide glass waveguide in the mid-IR spectral regime. With waveguide dispersion engineering, we predict generation of over an octave wavelength (2.8 μm–5.9 μm) tuning range Raman soliton self-frequency shift, over 2.5 octaves wavelength cover range supercontinuum (1.2 μm–8.0 μm), as well as single soliton Kerr comb generated in suspended Ge28Sb12Se60 waveguide. Our findings evidenced that Ge28Sb12Se60 chalcogenide glass waveguides can simultaneously satisfy the generation of Raman soliton self-frequency shift, supercontinuum spectrum, and Kerr frequency comb generation through dispersion engineering towards mid-IR on chip.

Simultaneous transmission of multi-format signals in the mid-infrared over free space

Mid-infrared (MIR) light within the 3–5 μm spectrum offers distinct advantages over the 1.5 μm band, particularly in adverse atmospheric conditions, rendering it a favorable option for free-space optical (FSO) communication. The transmission capacity within the 3–5 μm band is relatively low due to the immature state of its devices. In this study, we demonstrate multi-format signals FSO transmission with a total of 40 Gbps capacity in the 3 μm band, utilizing our developed MIR transmitter and receiver modules. These modules facilitate wavelength conversion between the 1.5 μm and 3 μm bands through the utilization of difference-frequency generation (DFG) effect. The MIR transmitter effectively produces three MIR signals: On-Off Keying (OOK), Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK), and Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) optical signals. The generated MIR power is 7.8 dBm, covering a wavelength range from 3.5864 to 3.5885 μm. The MIR receiver regenerates the three format signals with a power of −29.6 dBm. Relevant results of regenerated signal demodulation have been collected in detail, including bit error ratio (BER), constellation diagram, and eye diagram. The required powers for the 10 Gbps OOK, BPSK, and QPSK are −37.82, −40.24, and −39.4 dBm at BER of 1 × 10−6. It is expected to further push the data capacity to the terabit-per-second level by adding more 1.5 μm band laser sources and using wider-bandwidth chirped nonlinear crystals.

Cascaded multi-phonon stimulated Raman scattering near second-harmonic generation in a thin-film lithium niobate microdisk.

High-quality microresonators can greatly enhance light-matter interactions and are excellent platforms for studying nonlinear optics. Wavelength conversion through nonlinear processes is the key to many applications of integrated optics. The stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) process can extend the emission wavelength of a laser source to a wider range. Lithium niobate (LN), as a Raman active crystalline material, has remarkable potential for wavelength conversion. Here, we demonstrate the generation of cascaded multi-phonon Raman signals near the second-harmonic generation (SHG) peak in an X-cut thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) microdisk. Fine tuning of the specific cascaded Raman spectral lines has also been made by changing the pump wavelength. Raman lines can reach a wavelength up to about 80 nm away from the SHG signal. We realize the SFG process associated with Raman signals in the visible range as well. Our work extends the use of WGM microresonators as effective optical upconversion wavelength converters in nonlinear optical applications.

Concurrent phase-matchings for multi-wavelength conversion in coupled dual waveguides

Thin film lithium niobate, as a highly promising integrated photonics platform, has emerged as an ideal material platform for wavelength conversion owing to its exceptional second-order nonlinear characteristics. Here, we present the first demonstration of concurrent phase-matchings for multi-wavelength conversion in coupled thin film lithium niobate waveguides without poling technique. In the coupled dual waveguide system, employing modal phase-matching, we validate three effective phase-matching conditions for second harmonic generation, arising from additional momentum compensation due to the coupling of waveguides. Simultaneously, we confirm that phase-matching wavelengths can be tuned by adjusting the gap between waveguides. The concurrent phase-matchings in coupled dual waveguide systems can be readily extended to other nonlinear optical processes, such as difference frequency generation and spontaneous parametric down conversion. Our work contributes to advancing the exploration of efficient on-chip nonlinear optical processes within the realms of nanophotonics and quantum optics.

199 nm vacuum-ultraviolet second harmonic generation from SrB4O7 vertical microcavity pumped with picosecond laser

We have proposed highly efficient microcavity wavelength conversion devices that do not utilize the birefringence or ferroelectricity of crystals. In this study, we utilized a low-birefringence paraelectric SrB4O7 crystal with significant potential for wavelength conversion and high transparency down to 130 nm and succeeded in achieving 199 nm vacuum-ultraviolet second harmonic generation (SHG) with a picosecond laser. The wavelength of 199 nm is shorter than the theoretical minimum for SHG in BaB2O4 of 205 nm. Our device could be a practical vacuum-ultraviolet SHG device, enabling significantly smaller and more efficient vacuum-ultraviolet laser sources compared to conventional systems.

Advancing large-scale thin-film PPLN nonlinear photonics with segmented tunable micro-heaters

Thin-film periodically poled lithium niobate (TF-PPLN) devices have recently gained prominence for efficient wavelength conversion processes in both classical and quantum applications. However, the patterning and poling of TF-PPLN devices today are mostly performed at chip scales, presenting a significant bottleneck for future large-scale nonlinear photonic systems that require the integration of multiple nonlinear components with consistent performance and low cost. Here, we take a pivotal step towards this goal by developing a wafer-scale TF-PPLN nonlinear photonic platform, leveraging ultraviolet stepper lithography and an automated poling process. To address the inhomogeneous broadening of the quasi-phase matching (QPM) spectrum induced by film thickness variations across the wafer, we propose and demonstrate segmented thermal optic tuning modules that can precisely adjust and align the QPM peak wavelengths in each section. Using the segmented micro-heaters, we show the successful realignment of inhomogeneously broadened multi-peak QPM spectra with up to 57% enhancement of conversion efficiency. We achieve a high normalized conversion efficiency of 3802% W−1 cm−2 in a 6 mm long PPLN waveguide, recovering 84% of the theoretically predicted efficiency in this device. The advanced fabrication techniques and segmented tuning architectures presented herein pave the way for wafer-scale integration of complex functional nonlinear photonic circuits with applications in quantum information processing, precision sensing and metrology, and low-noise-figure optical signal amplification.

Continuous-wave operation of InGaN tunable single-mode laser with periodically slotted structure

By introducing wavelength tunability, InGaN single longitudinal mode lasers can be used for pumping wavelength conversion devices with a small pump wavelength tolerance. A 405 nm InGaN tunable slotted laser was designed and fabricated by a simple process without high-resolution lithography and epitaxial regrowth. Continuous-wave single-mode oscillation was obtained. By current injection to active and slotted channels separately, a wavelength tuning range of 0.55 nm was successfully demonstrated for the first time in InGaN in-plane single-mode lasers.

Transmission characterization of atmospheric laser communication based on an all-optical wavelength converter

We demonstrate a free-space optical (FSO) communication scheme based on an all-optical wavelength converter (AOWC). An all-optical wavelength converter is constructed based on the four-wave mixing (FWM) effect, and information replication is achieved by adjusting the pump power and wavelength spacing to convert the light. The feasibility and stability of each channel in a strong turbulent channel are verified through an eye diagram and bit error rate testing, with a total transmission rate of 30 Gb/s. It has been proven that improving conversion efficiency helps to reduce the bit error rate of transmitted signals. This article presents an experimental analysis of free-space information transmission based on AOWC for the first time, providing a reference for establishing high-speed multiplexing communication.