Spontaneous parametric down conversion in a doubly resonant one-dimensional photonic crystal

Area of Science:

• Nonlinear optics
• Quantum optics
• Condensed matter physics

Background:

• Spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC) is a key quantum light source.
• Photonic crystals offer unique light-matter interaction control.
• Doubly resonant configurations enhance nonlinear processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate SPDC in a 1D photonic crystal.
• Analyze spectral correlations of generated photons.
• Determine the scaling of the SPDC generation rate with structure length.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a doubly resonant 1D photonic crystal.
• Tuning pump and generated photon frequencies to band-edge resonances.
• Varying the spectral width of the pump beam.

Main Results:

• SPDC generation rate scales with the fifth power of structure length for quasi-continuous-wave pumps.
• Spectral correlations depend on pump spectral width.
• Established a link between SPDC and second-harmonic generation scaling.

Conclusions:

• Demonstrated unusual fifth-power scaling for SPDC generation rate.
• Highlighted the connection between spontaneous and stimulated parametric nonlinear processes.
• Showcased the potential of photonic crystals for enhanced quantum light generation.