B. Sturman

Highly tunable low-threshold optical parametric oscillation in radially poled whispering gallery resonators.

Whispering-gallery resonators (WGRs), based on total internal reflection, possess high quality factors in a broad spectral range. Thus, nonlinear-optical processes in such cavities are ideally suited for the generation of broadband or tunable electromagnetic radiation. Experimentally and theoretically, we investigate the tunability of optical parametric oscillation in a radially structured WGR made of lithium niobate. With a 1.04  μm pump wave, the signal and idler waves are tuned from 1.78 to 2.5  μm--including the point of degeneracy--by varying the temperature between 20 and 62 °C. A weak off centering of the radial domain structure extends considerably the tuning capabilities. The oscillation threshold lies in the mW-power range.

Parametric four-wave processes in photorefractive crystals

Abstract A theory of polarization-dependent four-wave processes is developed for photorefractive nonlinear media. It includes the classification of possible elementary nonlinear processes, an analysis of their polarization and geometric properties, and a unified technique for the calculation of wave amplitudes. The theory is applied to the description of different types of conical scattering in BaTiO 3 and LiNbO 3 crystals. Effects of crystal anisotropy, angular and frequency detunings for interacting waves are taken into account. A good agreement between theory and experiment is demonstrated. Applications of the theory to treatment of a number of important photorefractive effects are considered.

Nonlinear scattering in BaTiO3 induced by two orthogonally polarized waves

A new nonlinear scattering effect is described which is induced by the simultaneous action of ordinary and extraordinary waves impigning on a BaTiO3 crystal in the plane perpendicular to the c-axis. The scattered light of ordinary polarization propagates along a circular cone and the light intensity on this cone is nonuniform. We present a model that describes the experimental observations rather well, including phase matching conditions and the unusual intensity distribution of the scattered light.

Femtosecond time-resolved absorption processes in lithium niobate crystals

Femtosecond pump pulses are strongly attenuated in lithium niobate owing to two-photon absorption; the relevant nonlinear coefficient beta(p) ranges from approximately 3.5 cm/GW for lambda(p) = 388 nm to approximately 0.1 cm/GW for 514 nm. In collinear pump-probe experiments the probe transmission at the double pump wavelength 2lambda(p) = 776 nm is controlled by two different processes: A direct absorption process involving pump and probe photons (beta (r) = 0.9 cm/GW) leads to a pronounced short-duration transmission dip, whereas the probe absorption by pump-excited charge carriers results in a long-duration plateau. Coherent pump-probe interactions are of no importance. Hot-carrier relaxation occurs on the time scale of < or approximately equal to 0.1 ps.

Whispering gallery modes at the rim of an axisymmetric optical resonator: Analytical versus numerical description and comparison with experiment

Optical whispering gallery modes (WGMs) of mm-sized axisymmetric resonators are well localized at the equator. Employing this distinctive feature, we obtain simple analytical relations for the frequencies and eigenfunctions of WGMs which include the major radius of the resonator and the curvature radius of the rim. Being compared with results of finite-element simulations, these relations show a high accuracy and practicability. High-precision free-spectral-range measurements with a millimeter-sized disc resonator made of MgF(2) allow us to identify the WGMs and confirm the applicability of our analytical description.

Femtosecond holography in lithium niobate crystals

Spatial gratings are recorded holographically by two femtosecond pump pulses at 388 nm in lithium niobate (LiNbO3) crystals and read out by a Bragg-matched, temporally delayed probe pulse at 776 nm. We claim, to our knowledge, the first holographic pump-probe experiments with subpicosecond temporal resolution for LiNbO3. An instantaneous grating that is due mostly to the Kerr effect as well as a long-lasting grating that results mainly from the absorption caused by photoexcited carriers was observed. The Kerr coefficient of LiNbO3 for our experimental conditions, i.e., pumped and probed at different wavelengths, was approximately 1.0 x 10(-5) cm2/GW.

Modeling of the photorefractive nonlinear response in Sn 2 P 2 S 6 crystals

We develop a theory of the photorefractive nonlinear response for Sn2P2S6 crystals. The theory incorporates two types of charge carrier (optically active and passive), provides explicit expressions for the characteristic buildup-relaxation rates and gain factors, explains naturally a big variety of accumulated experimental data, and facilitates characterization-optimization of this important nonlinear material.

Metal nanoparticles with sharp corners: Universal properties of plasmon resonances

We predict the simultaneous occurrence of two fundamental phenomena for metal nanoparticles possessing sharp corners with variable curvature: First, the main dipolar plasmonic mode experiences a strong red shift with increasing corner curvature; for large values of the curvature, the resonant frequency is controlled by the apex angle of the corner. Second, the split-off plasmonic mode experiences a strong localization at the corners. Altogether, this paves the way for the tailoring of metal nanostructures providing a wavelength-selective excitation of localized plasmons and a strong near-field enhancement of linear and nonlinear optical phenomena.

Polarization-degenerate parametric light scattering in photorefractive crystals

Parametric scattering of two copropagating coherent light waves into cones of light with the same polarization is considered both experimentally (in photo-refractive LiNbO3:Fe) and theoretically.

Physical origin of mirrorless parametric oscillation in BaTiO 3

Mirrorless oscillation is observed in BaTiO3 when the sample is pumped by two nearly counterpropagating light waves, each containing an ordinary and an extraordinary component. We present a theoretical description of this effect and derive the threshold conditions in the undepleted pump approximation. The theoretical predictions, especially the frequency detuning of the oscillation waves with respect to the pump waves, are confirmed by our experiments.