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Title: Optical wavelength converters for photonic band gap microcircuits

Abstract

We demonstrate compact optical wavelength conversion architecture for picosecond laser pulses and data streams within photonic band gap waveguides. These multimode waveguides are seeded with resonantly driven, inhomogeneously broadened, distributions of quantum dots whose optical transition center frequency is placed near a sharp discontinuity in the local (electromagnetic) density of states (LDOS). This discontinuity is provided by a cutoff in one of the waveguide modes. Wavelength conversion of an optical pulse propagating in the single-mode spectral range of the waveguide, near the LDOS jump, is provided by a steady-state holding field with frequency matched to the center frequency of the quantum dot distribution. In the absence of an incident laser pulse, the holding field is absorbed by the quantum dots. When the incident pulse intensity is sufficient to cause population inversion of a suitable fraction of the quantum dots, the holding field is amplified and the incident pulse profile is imprinted on to the holding field, leading to wavelength conversion in the range of 3-20 nm at wavelengths near 1.5 {mu}m. Larger wavelength shifts typically require higher power levels for operation (milliwatt scale) but enable conversion of shorter (picosecond) pulses. Small wavelength shifts typically require narrower distribution of quantum dotmore » resonance frequencies. Using finite-difference time-domain simulations, we show that an optical pulse (Gaussian in time) can create another equivalent optical pulse with either higher or lower center frequency inside the photonic band gap of the structure. Optical pulses of a given center frequency can also be selectively amplified or absorbed depending on the coincident arrival of another laser pulse with different center frequency, enabling all-optical logic operations within a multiwavelength-channel optical circuit.« less

Authors:
;  [1]
  1. Department of Physics, University of Toronto, 60 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S-1A7 (Canada)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21313112
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physical Review. A
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 79; Journal Issue: 5; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.79.053836; (c) 2009 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 1050-2947
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY; 99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE; BEAMS; COMPACTS; DISTRIBUTION; LASERS; OPERATION; POPULATION INVERSION; PULSES; QUANTUM DOTS; SIMULATION; STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS; VELOCITY; WAVEGUIDES; WAVELENGTHS

Citation Formats

Vujic, Dragan, and John, Sajeev. Optical wavelength converters for photonic band gap microcircuits. United States: N. p., 2009. Web. doi:10.1103/PHYSREVA.79.053836.
Vujic, Dragan, & John, Sajeev. Optical wavelength converters for photonic band gap microcircuits. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.79.053836
Vujic, Dragan, and John, Sajeev. 2009. "Optical wavelength converters for photonic band gap microcircuits". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.79.053836.
@article{osti_21313112,
title = {Optical wavelength converters for photonic band gap microcircuits},
author = {Vujic, Dragan and John, Sajeev},
abstractNote = {We demonstrate compact optical wavelength conversion architecture for picosecond laser pulses and data streams within photonic band gap waveguides. These multimode waveguides are seeded with resonantly driven, inhomogeneously broadened, distributions of quantum dots whose optical transition center frequency is placed near a sharp discontinuity in the local (electromagnetic) density of states (LDOS). This discontinuity is provided by a cutoff in one of the waveguide modes. Wavelength conversion of an optical pulse propagating in the single-mode spectral range of the waveguide, near the LDOS jump, is provided by a steady-state holding field with frequency matched to the center frequency of the quantum dot distribution. In the absence of an incident laser pulse, the holding field is absorbed by the quantum dots. When the incident pulse intensity is sufficient to cause population inversion of a suitable fraction of the quantum dots, the holding field is amplified and the incident pulse profile is imprinted on to the holding field, leading to wavelength conversion in the range of 3-20 nm at wavelengths near 1.5 {mu}m. Larger wavelength shifts typically require higher power levels for operation (milliwatt scale) but enable conversion of shorter (picosecond) pulses. Small wavelength shifts typically require narrower distribution of quantum dot resonance frequencies. Using finite-difference time-domain simulations, we show that an optical pulse (Gaussian in time) can create another equivalent optical pulse with either higher or lower center frequency inside the photonic band gap of the structure. Optical pulses of a given center frequency can also be selectively amplified or absorbed depending on the coincident arrival of another laser pulse with different center frequency, enabling all-optical logic operations within a multiwavelength-channel optical circuit.},
doi = {10.1103/PHYSREVA.79.053836},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21313112}, journal = {Physical Review. A},
issn = {1050-2947},
number = 5,
volume = 79,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2009},
month = {Fri May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2009}
}