Igal Brener

1.5-μm-band wavelength conversion based on cascaded second-order nonlinearity in LiNbO 3 waveguides

We report wavelength conversion and spectral inversion using cascaded second-order nonlinearity in periodically poled LiNbO/sub 3/ waveguides pumped at 1.5 /spl mu/m. The converter has an internal conversion efficiency of -8 dB, a conversion bandwidth of 76 nm, and a constant conversion efficiency for the 50-dB range of signal powers tested.

THz near-field imaging

We present first results of near-field imaging with ultrashort, broadband far-infrared pulses. By focusing the radiation into a tapered metal tip with a small exit aperture and scanning a sample in the near field of this aperture, sub-wavelength spatial resolution better than λ/4 is demonstrated.

Multiple-channel wavelength conversion by use of engineered quasi-phase-matching structures in LiNbO3 waveguides

We report difference frequency generation-based wavelength converters with multiple phase-matching wavelengths that use engineered quasi-phase-matching structures in LiNbO(3) waveguides. Multiple-channel wavelength conversion is demonstrated within the 1.5-mum band and between the 1.3- and 1.5-mum bands. With simultaneous use of M pump wavelengths, these devices can also be used to perform wavelength broadcasting, in which each of N input signals is converted into M output wavelengths.

Polarization-Independent Silicon Metadevices for Efficient Optical Wavefront Control

We experimentally demonstrate a functional silicon metadevice at telecom wavelengths that can efficiently control the wavefront of optical beams by imprinting a spatially varying transmittance phase independent of the polarization of the incident beam. Near-unity transmittance efficiency and close to 0-2π phase coverage are enabled by utilizing the localized electric and magnetic Mie-type resonances of low-loss silicon nanoparticles tailored to behave as electromagnetically dual-symmetric scatterers. We apply this concept to realize a metadevice that converts a Gaussian beam into a vortex beam. The required spatial distribution of transmittance phases is achieved by a variation of the lattice spacing as a single geometric control parameter.

Coherent terahertz radiation detection: Direct comparison between free-space electro-optic sampling and antenna detection

We compare the use of free-space electro-optic sampling (FSEOS) with photoconducting antennas to detect terahertz (THz) radiation in the range of 0.1–3 THz. For the same average THz power and low-frequency modulation, signal-to-noise ratio and sensitivity are better with antenna detection at frequencies smaller than 3 THz. When the modulation frequency is increased to more than 1 MHz in FSEOS, both detection schemes have comparable performance. Using a singular-electric-field THz emitter, we demonstrate the feasibility of a THz imaging system using real-time delay scanning in FSEOS and only 20 mW of laser power.

Design and performance of singular electric field terahertz photoconducting antennas

We present new designs of more efficient terahertz (THz) radiation emitters and detectors enhanced by electric field singularities using sharp and laterally offset electrodes. We compare the performances of the terahertz emission and different polarization properties resulting from these structures. An average THz radiation power of 3 μW is achieved under 20 mW excitation, calibrated by free space electro-optic sampling. We also study the gap size dependence of the THz radiation, and find an absence of a positive electrode effect in the small gap limit.

Active Tuning of All-Dielectric Metasurfaces

All-dielectric metasurfaces provide a powerful platform for highly efficient flat optical devices, owing to their strong electric and magnetic dipolar response accompanied by negligible losses at near-infrared frequencies. Here we experimentally demonstrate dynamic tuning of electric and magnetic resonances in all-dielectric silicon nanodisk metasurfaces in the telecom spectral range based on the temperature-dependent refractive-index change of a nematic liquid crystal. We achieve a maximum resonance tuning range of 40 nm and a pronounced change in the transmittance intensity up to a factor of 5. Strongly different tuning rates are observed for the electric and the magnetic response, which allows for dynamically adjusting the spectral mode separation. Furthermore, we experimentally investigate the influence of the anisotropic (temperature-dependent) dielectric environment provided by the liquid crystal on both the electric and magnetic resonances. We demonstrate that the phase transition of the liquid crystal from its nematic to its isotropic phase can be used to break the symmetry of the optical metasurface response. As such, our approach allows for spectral tuning of electric and magnetic resonances of all-dielectric metasurfaces as well as switching of the anisotropy of the optical response of the device.

Multistage dispersion compensator using ring resonators

A compact, multichannel dispersion-compensating filter is demonstrated with D=-4200 ps/nm, a +/-5-ps group delay ripple, <3-dB loss, and a 4.5-GHz passband width out of a 12.5-GHz free spectral range. We show that multistage designs can achieve a substantial increase in passband width and peak dispersion for a given group-delay ripple compared with single-stage designs. The dispersion-compensation effectiveness was demonstrated in a 320-km, seven-channel nonlinear system simulation for OC48 signals.

Terahertz near-field microscopy based on a collection mode detector

We report on the development of a collection mode near-field probe for the terahertz spectral range. The near-field detector is based on an aperture type probe with dimensions of 30×30 μm2. The collection mode technique provides higher sensitivity and higher resolution than the similar illumination mode approach. Spatial resolution better than 40 μm is demonstrated for a broad spectrum of 300–600 μm, which equals to λ/15 for the longest wavelength. The observed resolution is determined by the size of the probe aperture.

Efficient wide-band and tunable midspan spectral inverter using cascaded nonlinearities in LiNbO 3 waveguides

We report on efficient (-7-dB fiber-to-fiber), wide-band (over 70 nm), tunable, and excess-noise-free mid-span spectral inverters based on cascaded second-order nonlinearities in periodically poled LiNbO/sub 3/ waveguides. We demonstrate their performance in a 4/spl times/10 Gb/s transmission over 150 km of standard single-mode fiber.