Analysis of Gaussian-beam degenerate optical parametric amplifiers for the generation of quadrature-squeezed states

This paper investigates the generation of quadrature-squeezed states of light using a degenerate optical parametric amplifier (DOPA) that is pumped by a focused Gaussian beam. The formulation that is presented facilitates the calculation of squeezing for an arbitrary local oscillator beam. This formulation also establishes a formal equivalence between the classical parametric gain and the measured level of squeezing. The maximum squeezing that can be achieved using a Gaussian-beam local oscillator is determined to be limited to 13.4 dB, as a consequence of gain-induced diffraction. The phase lag of the maximally squeezed quadrature is shown to be significantly different from the plane-wave theoretic value of π/2, unless the focusing is very weak. The use of a second DOPA for generating a local oscillator beam that is matched to the squeezed field is also investigated. In this case, squeezing is limited only by the available pump power

Simultaneous optical parametric oscillation and sum-frequency generation within a single crystal for converting 1064 nm into 627 nm

We report a 1064-nm pumped optical parametric oscillator based on a single KTiOAsO4 crystal that simultaneously generates the sum frequency of the pump and signal wavelengths, providing a 627 nm output with a high conversion efficiency

Non-orthogonal domains in phase space of quantum optics and their relation to fractional Fourier transforms

It is customary to define a phase space such that position and momentum are mutually orthogonal coordinates. Associated with these coordinates, or domains, are the position and momentum operators. Representations of the state vector in these coordinates are related by the Fourier transformation. We consider a continuum of "fractional" domains making arbitrary angles with the position and momentum domains. Representations in these domains are related by the fractional Fourier transformation. We derive transformation, commutation, and uncertainty relations between coordinate multiplication, differentiation, translation, and phase shift operators making arbitrary angles with each other. These results have a simple geometric interpretation in phase space and applications in quantum optics. © 1995

A self-doubling optical parametric oscillator based on aperiodically-poled lithium niobate

A self-doubling optical parametric oscillator (SDOPO) having one-dimensional aperiodic grating structure based on a LiNbO3 crystal was constructed. The structure was designed to quasi-phase-match both second harmonic generation (SHG) and optical parametric oscillation (OPO) processes. The grating structure contained in the LiNbO3 crystal was based on the construction of a function by summing up two cosine functions with arbitrary phase and amplitude

Phase-matched self-doubling optical parametric oscillator

We report a synchronously pumped intracavity frequency-doubled optical parametric oscillator that employs a single KTiOPO4 crystal for both parametric generation and frequency doubling. Both nonlinear processes are phase matched for the same direction of propagation in the crystal. The parametric oscillator, pumped by a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser at a wavelength of 745 nm, generates a green output beam at 540 nm with a 29% power conversion efficiency. Angle tuning in conjunction with pump wavelength tuning provides output tunability in the 530-585-nm range. © 1997 Optical Society of America

Plane-wave dynamics of optical parametric oscillation with simultaneous sum-frequency generation

This paper presents a theoretical analysis of sum-frequency generating optical parametric oscillators where a single nonlinear crystal is used for both parametric generation and sum-frequency generation. In these devices, the parametric and sum-frequency generation processes are both phase matched for the same direction of propagation inside the crystal. Different polarization geometries for which this simultaneous phase-matching condition can potentially be satisfied are identified and categorized, for both birefringent and quasi-phase-matching methods. Plane-wave coupled-mode equations are presented for each of these categories. Solutions of these coupled mode equations and calculation of the single-pass saturated signal gain are outlined. Intracavity signal photon flux density calculations based on these solutions lead to stable steady-state upconversion, multistability, and chaos. The dependence of the photon conversion efficiency on various design parameters are investigated

Operational approach to quantum limits on polarization measurement

We discuss the polarization measurement of a fully polarized coherent field in the weak intensity quantum limit within the framework of operational approach which was recently discussed by Noh, Fougéres and Mandel. We mainly focus on the fluctuations in the measurement of the parameters of polarization and on the uncertainty relations between them. A dependence of these parameters and their quantum fluctuations on the parameters of the initial coherent field is found. © 1994

Femtosecond optical parametric oscillator based on periodically poled KTiOPO4

We report a femtosecond optical parametric oscillator based on a periodically poled KTiOPO4 crystal for which quasi-phase matching is achieved with a 24-μm poling period. The singly resonant parametric oscillator, synchronously pumped by a Ti:sapphire laser at a wavelength of 758 nm, generates a signal at 1200 nm and an idler at 2060 nm. The maximum signal power conversion efficiency of the device is 22% with a pump depletion of 69%. We tune the signal wavelength over a 200-nm band by changing the cavity length. In addition, pump wavelength tuning provides output tunability in the 1000-1235-nm range. © 1998 Optical Society of America

ITO-schottky photodiodes for high-performance detection in the UV-IR spectrum

High-performance vertically illuminated Schottky photodiodes with indium-tin-oxide (ITO) Schottky layers were designed, fabricated, and tested. Ternary and quarternary III-V material systems (AlGaN-GaN, AlGaAs-GaAs, InAlGaAs-InP, and InGaAsP-InP) were utilized for detection in the ultraviolet (UV) (λ < 400 nm), near-IR (λ ∼ 850 nm), and IR (λ ∼ 1550 nm) spectrum. The material properties of thin ITO films were characterized. Using resonant-cavity-enhanced (RCE) detector structures, improved efficiency performance was achieved. Current-voltage, spectral responsivity, and high-speed measurements were carried out on the fabricated ITO-Schottky devices. The device performances obtained with different material systems are compared

High-performance solar-blind photodetectors based on AlxGa 1-XN heterostructures

Design, fabrication, and characterization of high-performance AI xGa1-xN-based photodetectors for solar-blind applications are reported. AlxGa1-xN heterostructures were designed for Schottky. p-i-n, and metal-semicondnctor-metal (MSM) photodiodes. The solar-blind photodiode samples were fabricated using a microwave compatible fabrication process. The resulting devices exhibited extremely low dark currents. Below 3 fA, leakage currents at 6-V reverse bias were measured on p-i-n samples. The excellent current-voltage (I-V) characteristics led to a detectivity performance of 4.9×1014 cmHz1/2W -1. The MSM devices exhibited photoconductive gain, while Schottky and p-i-n samples displayed 0.09 and 0.11 A/W peak responsivity values at 267 and 261 nm, respectively. A visible rejection of 2×104 was achieved with Schottky samples. High-speed measurements at 267 nm resulted in fast pulse responses with greater than gigahertz bandwidths. The fastest devices were MSM photodiodes with a maximum 3-dB bandwidth of 5.4 GHz