Electric-field-induced quasi-phase-matched three-wave mixing in silicon-based superlattice-on-insulator integrated circuits

Abstract

We present a theoretical investigation, based on the tight-binding Hamiltonian, of efficient electric-field-induced three-waves mixing (EFIM) in an undoped lattice-matched short-period superlattice (SL) that integrates quasi-phase-matched (QPM) SL straight waveguides and SL racetrack resonators on an opto-electronic chip. Periodically reversed DC voltage is applied to electrode segments on each side of the strip waveguide. The spectra of χxxxx(3) and of the linear susceptibility have been simulated as a function of the number of the atomic monolayers for “non-relaxed” heterointerfaces, and by considering all the transitions between valence and conduction bands. The large obtained values ofχxxxx(3) make the (ZnS)3/(Si2)3 short-period SL a good candidate for realizing large effective second-order nonlinearity, enabling future high-performance of the SLOI PICs and OEICs in the 1000-nm and 2000-nm wavelengths ranges. We have made detailed calculations of the efficiency of second-harmonic generation and of the performances of the optical parametric oscillator (OPO). The results indicate that the (ZnS)N/(Si2)M QPM is competitive with present PPLN technologies and is practical for classical and quantum applications.

Keywords

• Optical waveguides
• Semiconductor superlattices
• Racetrack resonator
• Nonlinear optical devices
• Harmonic generation
• optical parametric oscillator