Periodically poled ferroelectric crystals and thin films for light frequency conversion
V. Shur1*, A. Akhmatkhanov1, M. Chuvakova1, B. Slautin1, B. Lisjikh1, M. Kosobokov1, A. Boyko23
1- School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russia 2- Institute of Laser Physics SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia 3- Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
* vladimir.shur@urfu.ru
We present the achievements and recent progress in fabrication of effective nonlinear frequency converters based on quasi-phase matching realized by creation of the stable periodic domain structure with nanoscale period reproducibility. Application of the domain engineering methods allowed to achieve the submicron domain periods in lithium niobate thin films. The all-optical domain switching in the crystal bulk by applications of near-IR femtosecond laser irradiation was used successfully for creation of the periodical domain structures and three-dimensional nonlinear photonic crystals [1-3].
The obtained achievements are based on complex study of the domain structure evolution with high spatial and temporal resolution in uniaxial ferroelectrics of lithium niobate, lithium tantalate (LT) and potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) families. The realized methods of domain engineering are based on application of the electric field using: (1) periodical stripe electrodes [4], (2) biased tip of scanning probe microscope [5,6], (3) focused electron and ion beams [7] and via pulse heating by IR laser irradiation [1,3]. The created tailored domain structures allowed to realize the out-of-cavity second harmonics generation with record efficiency and highly effective optical parametric oscillation (OPO).
The periodical poling has been carried out in thin single-crystalline ion sliced submicron LN films on SiO2 isolation layer (LNOI) by conductive tip of the scanning probe microscope. The stable domain structures with period less than 200 nm have been produced [5,6].
The creation of tunable mid-infrared pulsed optical parametric amplifier (OPA) based on periodically poled LN with fan-out domain structure pumped by 1053 nm laser has been demonstrated [8]. It was shown that the fan-out periodical domain structures allowed to obtain super-wide OPA tuning range from 2.5 to 4.5 ^m in one element [9].
The creation of the three-dimensional nonlinear photonic crystals and periodical domain structures in the bulk was demonstrated in the plates of single-domain MgO doped LN as a result of irradiation by femtosecond laser emitting pulses at the 1030 nm wavelength [1,10].
The research was made possible by Russian Science Foundation (Grant No. 24-12-00302).
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