Compact Tunable Light Source Based on Non-Linear Optics. Topic Number AF94-011. Phase 1.
Abstract
Periodically Poled waveguides on lithium niobate and other nonlinear materials capable of quasi-phase-matched second harmonic generation have recently achieved conversion efficiencies above 100% per watt. Combined with semiconductor diode lasers, such waveguide devices promise compact sources to blue and green light (390-490 nm) with power above 2 mW today and above 100 mW in the future. An essential prerequisite is a stable pump source such as the external-cavity diode lasers (ECDL's) produced by New Focus, inc. The second harmonic can be tuned by varying the input wavelength and the temperature of the nonlinear waveguide simultaneously, or designing a broad phase-matching band. In some applications such as holographic data storage and process monitoring, tunable narrowband blue and green light is highly desirable. The ECDL doubler concept provides convenient tunability with little increase in complexity. The propose to combine periodically poled waveguide technology with compact new ECDL designs to achieve a tunable blue/green source in a 4 in. x 4 in. x 6 in. package which may be reduced to 1 in. x 1 in. x 3 in. - or even smaller - by incorporating micro-optical and micro-mechanical components. The success of this program will facilitate for compact nonlinear optical sources in the 3000-5000 nm range. (MM)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 14, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA292596
Entities
People
- Michael Bortz
- Timothy Day