Title :
Sum and difference frequency mixing in semiconductor heterostructures
Author :
Janz, S. ; Dai, H. ; Frlan, E. ; Letourneau, Sylvain ; Chatenoud, F. ; Delage, A. ; Beaulieu, Y. ; van der Meer, P. ; Normandin, R.
Author_Institution :
Inst. for Microstructural Sci., Nat. Res. Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ont., Canada
fDate :
31 Oct-3 Nov 1994
Abstract :
Sum-frequency mixing in a nonlinear waveguide using counter-propagating light beams was first demonstrated more than a decade ago. The subsequent development of quasi-phase matching (QPM) techniques in AlxGa1-xAs heterostructure waveguides has improved the conversion efficiencies such that a variety of applications based on second-harmonic (SH) generation are now feasible. Difference-frequency mixing in an AlxGa1-x As waveguides can also be used to generate tunable CW microwave radiation. The optimization of devices based on QPM SH generation requires the capability to spatially modulate the second-order nonlinearity χ(2). Within the AlxGa1-x As material system, a number of approaches to controlling χ (2) have been explored. The simplest approach is to vary the concentration. Once appropriate materials have been found, the geometry of the heterostructure must be designed to optimize device operation
Keywords :
optical frequency conversion; AlGaAs; conversion efficiencies; counter-propagating light beams; difference-frequency mixing; nonlinear waveguides; quasi-phase matching; second-harmonic generation; second-order nonlinearity; semiconductor heterostructures; sum-frequency mixing; Autocorrelation; Frequency; Gallium arsenide; Microwave generation; Nonlinear optics; Optical mixing; Optical reflection; Optical waveguides; Semiconductor waveguides; Superlattices;
Conference_Titel :
Lasers and Electro-Optics Society Annual Meeting, 1994. LEOS '94 Conference Proceedings. IEEE
Conference_Location :
Boston, MA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-1470-0
DOI :
10.1109/LEOS.1994.586594