Polarization and spatial mode dependent four-wave mixing in a 4H-silicon carbide microring resonator

Abstract

We report four-wave mixing with different polarization and spatial modes in a single 4H-silicon carbide photonic device. Our device shows great potential to perform high-dimensional multiplexing for optical communication and high-dimensional entanglement in quantum networks. We use a polarization-insensitive grating coupler and a multimode microring resonator that supports three polarization and spatial mode resonances. Finally, we show the polarization dependence of the third-order nonlinearity of 4H-silicon carbide. The measured nonlinear refractive index of the light polarized along the extraordinary axis, which is n2,TM = (13.1 ± 0.7) × 10−19 m2/W, is twice as large as that of the light polarized along the ordinary plane, n2,TE = (7.0 ± 0.3) × 10−19 m2/W, indicating that the extraordinary polarization is more efficient for nonlinear experiments in the 4H-silicon carbide integrated platforms as compared to the ordinary polarization.

Flexible source of correlated photons based on LNOI rib waveguides

“…PDC [11,12] and FWM [13,14] are the most powerful processes for producing entangled photons, which are an essential part of quantum optical devices and circuits [15]. For quantum communication networks [16], compact sources of entangled narrowband photons play a significant role, since they can reduce mode chromatic dispersion and transmission loss over long distances [17], as well as improve the quantum light-matter interaction [18].…”

Silicon Carbide Photonics Bridging Quantum Technology

“…Recently extraordinary polarization (TM polarized light) FWM has been demonstrated to be more efficient than the ordinary polarization. 79 Microdisk Resonators. Microdisk resonators support whispering gallery modes with volumes of several or more cubic wavelengths.…”

“…By nanostructuring SiC and improving the quality factor ( Q ) of the microring and microdisk resonators, NLO effects based on second-order and third-order nonlinear coefficients have been recently enhanced and observed (Figure a). Generally, the NLO response of 3C, 4H, and 6H-SiC nanostructures covering the optical spectrum from the visible through the mid-infrared and far-infrared, could open up a wide range of applications such as wavelength conversion, four-wave mixing (FWM) observed in both 4H and 3C-SiC, ,, second/third/fourth-harmonic generation observed in 4H-SiC microdisk resonators (Figure b–e), SHG, and difference frequency generation (DFG) in 3C-SiCOI microring resonators and waveguides, optical parametric oscillator (OPO) in 4H-SiC microring resonators, , parametric amplification in 4H-SiC crystal, frequency comb generation , (achieved with the lowest possible power generation efficiency after AlGaAs on-insulator; Figure f), self-phase modulation, and supercontinuum generation in 6H-SiC crystal from 1.3 to 2.4 μm. Nonlinear optical properties in 4H-SiC have been also investigated in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) where broadband emission from 3.90 to 5.60 μm was obtained from DFG.…”

“…Third-order nonlinearity in 4H-SiC is polarization-dependent and all the above FMW processes were demonstrated with TE polarized light or ordinary polarization. Recently extraordinary polarization (TM polarized light) FWM has been demonstrated to be more efficient than the ordinary polarization …”

High-Performance Polarization-Independent Beam Splitters and MZI in Silicon Carbide Integrated Platforms for Single-Photon Manipulation

“…During the last decade, SiC has entered into integrated photonics, thanks to its beneficial optical properties of low material loss, relatively high refractive index, and wide transparent window. Compared to silicon, which is most widely used in integrated photonics, SiC, as a wide-bandgap semiconductor with both strong second-and third-order optical nonlinearities, does not suffer from two-photon absorption and subsequent free-carrier absorption in the telecom wavelength band, making this material suitable for high-power nonlinear applications [3], [4], [5], [6], [7]. These superior optical properties of SiC allow a variety of on-chip optical applications, for example, X. Shi, Y. Lu, K. Rottwitt and H. Ou are with DTU Fotonik, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark.…”