Frontiers in Photonics (Dec 2023)

Efficient and robust second-harmonic generation in thin-film lithium niobate using modal phase matching

  • Mikkel T. Hansen,
  • Emil Z. Ulsig,
  • Fabien Labbé,
  • Magnus L. Madsen,
  • Yunhong Ding,
  • Karsten Rottwitt,
  • Nicolas Volet

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphot.2023.1324648
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4

Abstract

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A double-ridge waveguide is designed for efficient and robust second-harmonic generation (SHG) using the thin-film lithium-niobate-on-insulator (LNOI) platform. Perfect phase matching (PhM) is achieved between the fundamental waveguide mode at 1,550 nm and a higher-order mode at the second harmonic. The fabrication tolerances of the PhM condition are simulated using a finite-difference method mode solver, and conversion efficiencies as high as 3.92 W−1 are obtained for a 1-cm long waveguide. This design allows access to the largest element of the second-order nonlinear susceptibility tensor, and represents a scalable alternative to waveguides based on periodically-poled lithium niobate (PPLN). The design has the potential for generating pairs of entangled photons in the infrared C-band by spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC).

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