A silicon-based widely tunable short-wave infrared optical parametric oscillator

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Nonlinear Optics
• Semiconductor Devices

Background:

• Optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) are crucial for generating tunable laser light.
• Silicon photonics offers a highly nonlinear platform for optical devices.
• Achieving broadband amplification and tuning in OPOs remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a novel optical parametric oscillator (OPO) using a silicon-on-insulator photonic wire.
• To achieve broadband amplification and wide tunability in the near-infrared spectrum.
• To explore the potential of silicon photonics for OPO applications.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing parametric gain in a silicon-on-insulator photonic wire.
• Employing a synchronously pumped OPO configuration.
• Exploiting the nonlinear broadband response and higher-order dispersion of the photonic wire.

Main Results:

• Achieved broadband single-pass amplification up to 54 dB.
• Demonstrated an OPO tunable across a 75 nm band near 2075 nm.
• Showcased broadband tuning across 150 nm by varying pump wavelength and utilizing higher-order dispersion.

Conclusions:

• Silicon photonic wires are effective for broadband parametric amplification.
• The demonstrated OPO offers significant tunability for spectroscopic and photonic applications.
• This work highlights the potential of silicon photonics for advanced nonlinear optical devices.