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Boes A, Chang L, Langrock C, Yu M, Zhang M, Lin Q, Lončar M, Fejer M, Bowers J, Mitchell A. Lithium niobate photonics: Unlocking the electromagnetic spectrum. Science 2023; 379:eabj4396. [PMID: 36603073 DOI: 10.1126/science.abj4396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Lithium niobate (LN), first synthesized 70 years ago, has been widely used in diverse applications ranging from communications to quantum optics. These high-volume commercial applications have provided the economic means to establish a mature manufacturing and processing industry for high-quality LN crystals and wafers. Breakthrough science demonstrations to commercial products have been achieved owing to the ability of LN to generate and manipulate electromagnetic waves across a broad spectrum, from microwave to ultraviolet frequencies. Here, we provide a high-level Review of the history of LN as an optical material, its different photonic platforms, engineering concepts, spectral coverage, and essential applications before providing an outlook for the future of LN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Boes
- Integrated Photonics and Applications Centre (InPAC), School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia.,Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.,School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Lin Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Optical Communications System and Networks, School of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Frontiers Science Center for Nano-optoelectronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Carsten Langrock
- Edward L. Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Mengjie Yu
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | | | - Qiang Lin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Marko Lončar
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Martin Fejer
- Edward L. Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - John Bowers
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Arnan Mitchell
- Integrated Photonics and Applications Centre (InPAC), School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
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Vainio M, Halonen L. Mid-infrared optical parametric oscillators and frequency combs for molecular spectroscopy. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2016; 18:4266-94. [DOI: 10.1039/c5cp07052j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Review of mid-infrared optical parametric oscillators and frequency combs for high-resolution spectroscopy, including applications in trace gas detection and fundamental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Vainio
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry
- Department of Chemistry
- University of Helsinki
- Finland
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd
| | - L. Halonen
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry
- Department of Chemistry
- University of Helsinki
- Finland
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Ulvila V, Phillips CR, Halonen L, Vainio M. High-power mid-infrared frequency comb from a continuous-wave-pumped bulk optical parametric oscillator. OPTICS EXPRESS 2014; 22:10535-10543. [PMID: 24921755 DOI: 10.1364/oe.22.010535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate that it is possible to obtain a mid-infrared optical frequency comb (OFC) experimentally by using a continuous-wave-pumped optical parametric oscillator (OPO). The comb is generated without any active modulation. It is based on cascading quadratic nonlinearities that arise from intra-cavity phase mismatched second harmonic generation of the signal wave that resonates in the OPO. The generated OFC is transferred from the signal wavelength (near-infrared) to the idler wavelength (mid-infrared) by intracavity difference frequency generation between the OPO pump wave and the signal comb. We have produced a mid-infrared frequency comb which is tunable from 3.0 to 3.4 µm with an average output power of up to 3.1 W.
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Phillips CR, Mayer BW, Gallmann L, Fejer MM, Keller U. Design constraints of optical parametric chirped pulse amplification based on chirped quasi-phase-matching gratings. OPTICS EXPRESS 2014; 22:9627-9658. [PMID: 24787850 DOI: 10.1364/oe.22.009627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Chirped quasi-phase-matching (QPM) gratings offer efficient, ultra-broadband optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) in the mid-infrared as well as other spectral regions. Only recently, however, has this potential begun to be realized [1]. In this paper, we study the design of chirped QPM-based OPCPA in detail, revealing several important constraints which must be accounted for in order to obtain broad-band, high-quality amplification. We determine these constraints in terms of the underlying saturated nonlinear processes, and explain how they were met when designing our mid-IR OPCPA system. The issues considered include gain and saturation based on the basic three-wave mixing equations; suppression of unwanted non-collinear gain-guided modes; minimizing and characterizing nonlinear losses associated with random duty cycle errors in the QPM grating; avoiding coincidentally-phase-matched nonlinear processes; and controlling the temporal/spectral characteristics of the saturated nonlinear interaction in order to maintain the chirped-pulse structure required for OPCPA. The issues considered place constraints both on the QPM devices as well as the OPCPA system. The resulting experimental guidelines are detailed. Our results represent the first comprehensive discussion of chirped QPM devices operated in strongly nonlinear regimes, and provide a roadmap for advancing and experimentally implementing OPCPA systems based on these devices.
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Ulvila V, Phillips CR, Halonen L, Vainio M. Frequency comb generation by a continuous-wave-pumped optical parametric oscillator based on cascading quadratic nonlinearities. OPTICS LETTERS 2013; 38:4281-4284. [PMID: 24177073 DOI: 10.1364/ol.38.004281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
We report optical frequency comb generation by a continuous-wave pumped optical parametric oscillator (OPO) without any active modulation. The OPO is configured as singly resonant with an additional nonlinear crystal (periodically poled MgO:LiNbO3) placed inside the OPO for phase mismatched second harmonic generation (SHG) of the resonating signal beam. The phase mismatched SHG causes cascading χ(2) nonlinearities, which can substantially increase the effective χ(3) nonlinearity in MgO:LiNbO3, leading to spectral broadening of the OPO signal beam via self-phase modulation. The OPO generates a stable 4 THz wide (-30 dB) frequency comb centered at 1.56 μm.
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Lin X, Wang L, Ding YJ. Efficient generation of far-infrared radiation in the vicinity of polariton resonance of lithium niobate. OPTICS LETTERS 2012; 37:3687-3689. [PMID: 22940991 DOI: 10.1364/ol.37.003687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
We efficiently generated far-infrared radiation at the wavelengths centered at 20.8 μm in the vicinity of one of the polariton resonances of lithium niobate. Such an efficient nonlinear conversion is made possible by exploiting phase matching for difference-frequency generation in lithium niobate. The highest peak power reached 233 W.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomu Lin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, USA
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Wang M, Zhu L, Chen W, Fan D. Efficient all-solid-state mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator based on resonantly pumped 1.645 μm Er:YAG laser. OPTICS LETTERS 2012; 37:2682-2684. [PMID: 22743494 DOI: 10.1364/ol.37.002682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
We first report an all-solid-state tunable mid-infrared singly resonant optical parametric oscillator based on a 1532 nm laser diode resonantly pumped, Q-switched 1.645 μm Er:YAG laser. An MgO-doped periodically poled lithium niobate was used as the nonlinear material. At the pulse repetition frequency of 2 KHz, a maximum overall average output power of 0.95 W with pump power of 2.8 W was achieved, corresponding to a conversion efficiency of 34% and a slope efficiency of 38%. The temperature tuning was performed giving signal and idler ranges of 2.67 to 2.71 μm and 4.18 to 4.31 μm, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingjian Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of All Solid-State Laser and Applied Techniques, Research Center of Space Laser Information Technology, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201800, China
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Pelc JS, Zhang Q, Phillips CR, Yu L, Yamamoto Y, Fejer MM. Cascaded frequency upconversion for high-speed single-photon detection at 1550 nm. OPTICS LETTERS 2012; 37:476-478. [PMID: 22344078 DOI: 10.1364/ol.37.000476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
We present a device for two-stage frequency upconversion of single-photon-level signals in the 1.55 μm telecom band to the green spectral region with low excess noise, suitable for detection by low-timing-jitter silicon single-photon avalanche photodiodes (APDs). We achieve a net conversion efficiency of 87% and a system timing jitter below 70 ps FWHM, dominated by the jitter of the APD. Modifications of our device are suitable for downconversion of single photons from visible-wavelength quantum emitters into the telecom band.
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Affiliation(s)
- J S Pelc
- E L Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
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Phillips CR, Fejer MM. Adiabatic optical parametric oscillators: steady-state and dynamical behavior. OPTICS EXPRESS 2012; 20:2466-2482. [PMID: 22330485 DOI: 10.1364/oe.20.002466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
We study singly-resonant optical parametric oscillators with chirped quasi-phasematching gratings as the gain medium, for which adiabatic optical parametric amplification has the potential to enhance conversion efficiency. This configuration, however, has a modulation instability which must be suppressed in order to yield narrowband output signal pulses. We show that high conversion efficiency can be achieved by using either a narrowband seed or a high-finesse intracavity etalon.
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Affiliation(s)
- C R Phillips
- E. L. Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, 348 Via Pueblo Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
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Pelc JS, Ma L, Phillips CR, Zhang Q, Langrock C, Slattery O, Tang X, Fejer MM. Long-wavelength-pumped upconversion single-photon detector at 1550 nm: performance and noise analysis. OPTICS EXPRESS 2011; 19:21445-21456. [PMID: 22108994 DOI: 10.1364/oe.19.021445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate upconversion-assisted single-photon detection for the 1.55-μm telecommunications band based on a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguide pumped by a monolithic PPLN optical parametric oscillator. We achieve an internal conversion efficiency of 86%, which results in an overall system detection efficiency of 37%, with excess noise as low as 10(3) counts s(-1). We measure the dark count rate versus the upconversion pump-signal frequency separation and find the results to be consistent with noise photon generation by spontaneous anti-Stokes Raman scattering. These results enable detailed design guidelines for the development of low-noise quantum frequency conversion systems, which will be an important component of fiber-optic quantum networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- J S Pelc
- E. L. Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.
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