SC153 Quasi-Phasematching for Wavelength Conversion and All-Optical Nonlinear Processing

Monday, May 17, 2010
8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Peter G. R. Smith; Univ. of Southampton, UK
Level: Beginner (no background or minimal training is necessary to understand course material)


Course Description

This course provides an overview and grounding in the use of quasi-phase matched materials in nonlinear optics. Quasi-phase matching (QPM) is emerging as a dominant technology for nonlinear optical frequency conversion in the visible and near-IR. By offering a large nonlinear susceptibility, non-critical phase matching and a tailored spectral response, it is allowing a wide range of new optical devices to be realized. The course will start by explaining the underlying concepts of QPM and reviewing the available materials, their advantages and disadvantages. Both bulk and waveguide QPM devices will be covered. The course will make use of worked examples of real devices that will be presented to explain their operation. These examples will draw on experiments in harmonic generation, fiber-pumped OPOs, and telecomm wavelength conversion in waveguide PPLN. The commercial and scientific uses of QPM devices will be reviewed. Finally, the market potential of QPM devices will be discussed. The markets and opportunities in telecommunications, infra-red countermeasures, scientific, and displays will be considered.


Benefits and Learning Objectives

This course should enable you to:

  • Describe the basic concepts of phase matching and quasi-phase matching.
  • Summarize the origins of second order nonlinear processes, such as second harmonic generation, sum and difference frequency mixing, parametric amplification, generation and oscillation.
  • Gain an overview of existing QPM materials, particularly periodically poled ferroelectrics (PPLN, PPLT, PPKTP) and patterned III-V semiconductors.
  • Compare, through worked examples, the achievable performance of nonlinear devices.
  • Develop an appreciation of the uses of QPM devices in IR-countermeasures, visible generation, mid-IR spectroscopy, in quantum communication, etc.
  • Compare bulk and waveguide applications and define their regions of applicability.
  • Discuss the applications of QPM materials to all-optical signal processing, particularly for WDM wavelength conversion, TDM (de)multiplexing and signal reconditioning.
  • Identify the market potential of QPM materials and devices.

Intended Audience

This course is intended for students, engineers, scientists and managers with a basic knowledge of lasers who wish to familiarize themselves with the practical application of QPM materials in nonlinear optics.


Biography

Peter G. R. Smith is a professor at the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC), University of Southampton, UK. Following a doctorate from Oxford University and work as a management consultant in London, he moved to Southampton in 1994 to work on nonlinear QPM materials and integrated optics. At the ORC he leads a group that concentrates on the fabrication of periodically poled materials and waveguide devices. He is the author more than 100 journal and conference papers in the area of QPM materials, and is the founder of Stratophase Ltd., a start-up company that is commercializing periodically poled QPM materials.