Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2025
09:23
Quantum State Engineering of Light with Continuous-wave Optical Parametric Oscillators
Published on: May 30, 2014
14.6K
Efficient chip-based optical parametric oscillators from 590 nm to 1150 nm
Jordan R Stone1,2, Xiyuan Lu1,2, Gregory Moille1,2
1Joint Quantum Institute, NIST/University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 USA.
Optica
|February 3, 2023
Summary
Integrated silicon nitride photonics enable efficient optical parametric oscillators for visible light generation. These devices achieve high conversion efficiencies, overcoming previous limitations in chip-based visible light sources.
Area of Science:
- Photonics and Optical Engineering
- Integrated Optics
- Nonlinear Optics
Background:
- Optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) are crucial for generating coherent light at specific frequencies.
- Chip-based OPOs in the visible spectrum have historically faced low pump-to-signal conversion efficiencies (<0.1%).
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate efficient chip-based optical parametric oscillators operating in the visible spectrum.
- To achieve high pump-to-signal conversion efficiencies using silicon nitride photonics.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of silicon nitride microring resonators.
- Development of pulley waveguides for broadband near-critical coupling.
- Pumping microrings at 385 THz (780 nm) to generate signal and idler waves.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated OPOs covering frequencies from 260 THz (1150 nm) to 510 THz (590 nm).
- Achieved on-chip output powers between 1 mW and 5 mW for signal and idler waves.
- Reached unprecedented conversion efficiencies of approximately 15%.
Conclusions:
- Silicon nitride photonics enable highly efficient visible light generation via OPOs.
- Pulley waveguides are key to improving coupling and conversion efficiency.
- Mode competition limits maximum output power at high pump levels.
