Efficient chip-based optical parametric oscillators from 590 nm to 1150 nm

Published

December 2, 2022

Author(s)

Jordan Stone, Xiyuan Lu, Gregory Moille, Kartik Srinivasan

Abstract

Optical parametric oscillators are a ubiquitous technology used to generate coherent light at frequencies not accessible by conventional laser gain. However, chip-based parametric oscillators operating in the visible spectrum have suffered from pump-to-signal conversion efficiencies typically less than 0.1 %. Here, we demonstrate efficient optical parametric oscillators based on silicon nitride photonics that address frequencies between 260 THz (1150 nm) and 510 THz (590 nm). Pumping silicon nitride microrings near $385$ THz ($780$ nm) yields monochromatic signal and idler waves with unprecedented output powers in this wavelength range. We estimate on-chip output powers (separately for the signal and idler) between 1 mW and 5 mW and conversion efficiencies reaching 15 %. Underpinning this improved performance is the connection between the waveguide-resonator coupling rate and conversion efficiency; hence, we develop and use pulley waveguides for broadband near-critical coupling. Finally, we find that mode competition reduces conversion efficiency at high pump powers, thereby constraining the maximum realizable output power. Our work proves that optical parametric oscillators built with integrated photonics can produce useful amounts of visible laser light with high efficiency.

Citation

Optica

Volume

7

Issue

12

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0117691

Local Download

Keywords

photonics, laser, microresonator

Citation

Stone, J. , Lu, X. , Moille, G. and Srinivasan, K. (2022), Efficient chip-based optical parametric oscillators from 590 nm to 1150 nm, Optica, [online], https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0117691, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=935132 (Accessed October 7, 2025)