COMPOUND WAVEGUIDE LASERS AND OPTICAL PARAMETRIC OSCILLATORS

Abstract: A new family of lasers and optical parametric oscillators is based on efficient frequency conversion or doubling in multimode compound optical waveguides. These waveguides exploit specific useful properties of their higher order modes while providing good compatibility with single-mode optical fibers. A mode engineering approach is applied to construct a compound waveguide structure (1, 2) that supports a higher order mode (6) having a sharp peak in its field. This sharp peak simplifies selection of this mode (6) by efficient coupling of its radiation into a single-mode fiber (8). The lasers and optical parametric oscillators employ wavelength selective properties of this mode field configuration and its unique ability to support efficient frequency conversion and doubling.

Description: COMPOUND WAVEGUIDE LASERS AND OPTICAL PARAMETRIC OSCILLATORS The present invention relates to optical sources of coherent radiation and in particular to a new class of short wavelength lasers and optical parametric oscillators based ofthe frequency conversion or doubling inside a multimode waveguide. Such short wavelength microlasers have many important industrial, military and medical applications. Short wavelength lasers (green-blue lasers) and tunable frequency lasers have found many important scientific, industrial, military and medical applications. Some of this devices are commercially available and miniaturization ofthese lasers is required for many practical applications. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find appropriate active materials required for short radiation wavelengths. For example, in order to design short wavelength semiconductor lasers new semiconductor materials having a large energy gap should be developed. One ofthe solution ofthe problem is based on employing the effect of frequency conversion or doubling in appropriate nonlinear materials to lower the wavelength of radiation. A green wavelength laser based on this principle is now commercially available. Scaling of its output power, however, has some major restrictions. The design ofthe lasers based on frequency conversion or doubling requires both a means for high amplification ofthe fundamental frequency beam in an active laser material and a means for efficient frequency conversion in a nonlinear material. To enhance the efficiency of frequency conversion or doubling in a given nonlinear material one should increase the power ofthe fundamental frequency beam and the length ofthe nonlinear medium. Enhancing amplification ofthe beam in a given active laser material also requires increasing the length ofthe active laser medium. Moreover, conditions to effectively pump the active laser media should be provided. All these problems can be solved with lasers based on multimode waveguide structures. Relatively large cross section and large length ofthe multimode waveguide provides conditions to efficient pump the active material while the waveguiding properties ofthe nonlinear material provide strong field confinement over a large distance, as required for efficient frequency conversion. Unfortunately, using standard multimode nonlinear waveguides can not provide efficient frequency conversion since the mode fields corresponding to the fundamental frequency and the converted frequency (second harmonic) do not overlap sufficiently. Moreover, it is not easy to realize phase rriatching in such multimode nonlinear waveguides as required for efficient frequency conversion. To provide this phase matching one should fabricate, for example, special periodicity or gratings inside the waveguide. In addition, the work with standard multimode waveguides requires the compUcated processing ofa mode speckle pattern at the waveguide output. The difficulty of coupling ofthe output beam into a single-mode information transmission fiber network also remain problems to be solved. These problems have severely restricted the use of multimode waveguides in their applications. The present invention describes novel types of short wavelength lasers and optical parametric oscillators based on a new family of compound multimode optical waveguides which are designed to exploit specific useful properties of their higher order modes while providing good compatibility with single-mode optical fibers. A special compound structure ofthe compound multimode waveguides provides a unique possibility to achieve wavelength selection, efficient overlap ofthe modal fields corresponding to different frequencies and good phase matching. This compound waveguide structure supports modes having sharp peaks of their fields in the nonlinear waveguide region that also enhances the frequency conversion efficiency. Moreover, existence of this peak simplifies selection of this mode and efficient coupling of its radiation into a single-mode fiber networks. The combination of all these factors makes the system truly unique. The objectives ofthe invention are as follows: 1. To provide a short wavelength enhanced power laser based on efficient frequency doubling inside a multimode waveguide. 2. To provide an optical parametric oscillator based on efficient frequency conversion inside a multimode waveguide. 3. To specify a structure of compound multimode waveguide providing efficient frequency doubling. 4. To specify a structure of the compound multimode waveguide providing efficient frequency conversion. 5. To provide effective coupling ofthe hght from the laser or optical parametric oscillator into a single-mode output fiber. 6. To specify some active and nonlinear optical materials that can be used to fabricate such short wavelength lasers and optical parametric oscillators. Briefly stated, the present invention describes a new family of lasers and optical parametric oscillators which is based on efficient frequency conversion or doubling in multimode compound optical waveguides. These waveguides exploit specific useful properties of their higher order modes while providing good compatibihty with single-mode optical fibers. A mode engineering approach is applied to construct a compound waveguide structure that supports a higher order mode having a sharp peak in its field. This sharp peak simplifies selection of this mode by efficient coupling of its radiation into a single-mode fiber. The lasers and optical parametric oscillators employ wavelength selective properties of this mode field configuration and its unique ability to support efficient frequency conversion and doubling. The above, and other objects, features and advantages ofthe present invitation will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Fig.1. Waveguide profiles (a,c) and TM mode field H x (arbitrary units) as a function of transverse coordinate y (b,d). Fig.2. Normalized mode peak amphtude J as a function of (a) wavelength λ and (b) refractive index « 2 . Fig.3. Schematic of short wavelength laser based on symmetric compound waveguide structure. Fig. 4. Schematic of optical parametric oscillator based on asymmetric compound waveguide structure. The present invention describes new types of short wavelength lasers and optical parametric oscillators based on efficient frequency conversion or doubling inside a compound multimode waveguide exhibiting both active and nonlinear properties. A key component ofthese lasers is a compound multimode waveguide which provides conditions for efficient gain ofthe fundamental frequency mode in an active waveguide material, its efficient frequency conversion in nonlinear waveguide material and its efficient coupling into an output single-mode optical fiber networks. A mode engineering approach is developed and applied to construct a compound structure ofthe waveguide refractive index profile supporting higher order modes that exhibit properties which are desirable for each specific apphcation. One ofthe main goals ofthe construction is to identify conditions where the compound multimode waveguide structure guides a higher order mode exhibiting sharp peak in its field, while the fields ofthe other waveguide modes are mainly localized outside this peak region. Existence of this peak provides conditions for efficient frequency conversion, and simplifies selection of this mode and the efficient coupling of its radiation into a single-mode fiber. The basic idea ofthe mode engineering approach can be illustrated as follows. Consider two planar multimode waveguides having refractive index profiles as shown in Fig. 1(a). Refractive index profile of each ofthese waveguides can be considered to be constructed from a single-mode step index planar waveguide 1 (having core index and cladding index « c , ) and a multimode step index planar waveguide 2 (having core index n 2 and cladding index ). It can be shown using general waveguide theory, that coupling of single-mode waveguide 1 to multimode waveguide 2 results in adding an extra mode to original multimode waveguide 2 which is close to the cut-off. In the case where the effective refractive index of this mode ofa resulting compound waveguide is close to that ofthe fundamental mode in original waveguide 1 the field of this highest order mode exhibits sharp peak in the region of waveguide 1. The general condition for estabUshing the mode configuration having a sharp peak can be estimated approximately, employing the standard characteristic equation for multimode step index waveguide 2: (2πd 2 /λ)(« 2 2 - n 2m 2 ) m = 2 tan 1 ^ 2 - « cl 2 )/(n 2 2 - n 2m 2 )] + πm (1) in the case, when n 2m = τi \ . Here * is the effective index ofthe fundamental mode in initial single-mode waveguide 1, n 2m is the effective index ofthe compound waveguide mode of order m, λ is the wavelength and d 2 is the waveguide thickness defined in Fig. 1(a). An example of such mode having shaφ peak is shown in Fig. 1 (b) in the case when λ = 1.55 μm, n c\ = 1.460, n \ =1.463, n 2 = 1.65, dι = S μm and d 2 = 30 μm. The mode peak locaUzed in region 1 carries the majority ofthe mode energy while some part ofthe mode field propagates in region 2. The mode peak can be easily selected using an aperture. The width ofthe mode peak can be adjusted to be nearly that ofa single-mode fiber by controlling the refractive index «j and thickness d \ of region 1 in the compound multimode waveguide. This provides good compatibiUty of this specific mode of compound multimode waveguide to single-mode fiber networks. The compound structure that characterizes this new family of waveguides offers some interesting possibilities for a new laser design. Consider a compound waveguide supporting a mode with a high intensity peak in which the high refractive index multimode region 2 is made up ofa laser active material. Since multimode active region 2 can be relatively large (tens of micrometers) and can be made long (millimeters), it can be effectively pumped by sources such as diode lasers. If optical feedback is provided in the region 1 ofthe high intensity peak ofthe mode, then only a high order mode similar to that in Fig. 1 (b) will grow inside the waveguide. The resulting laser beam wiU be characterized by a high field intensity in the single-mode low refractive index region 1. The mode tail propagating in region 2 extracts the energy from active media while the high field intensity ofthe mode peak in region 1 made from appropriate nonlinear material can be exploited for efficient parametric frequency conversion or second harmonic generation in the laser structures. An additional advantage of this scheme is that the main part ofthe frequency doubled mode field propagates outside the active waveguide region 2, because the active material in this region usuaUy strongly absorbs the second harmonic radiation. It foUows from equation (1) that the mode peak appears periodicaUy as a function of waveguide parameters n 2 , d 2 and wavelength λ each time when the condition n 2m = nι * is satisfied. This occurs generaUy when the whole number of guided modes in the waveguide is changed by one. The periodic dependence ofthe mode peak intensity on waveguide parameters can be used to control the system. It is possible to find a combination ofthe waveguide parameters when both the fundamental frequency mode and the converted frequency mode (the second harmonic) have the similar strongly overlapping mode field configurations and close effective refractive indices that enhance the frequency conversion. This unique property ofthe compound waveguide structure has important potential apphcations in mimature parametric osciUators and short wavelength waveguide lasers based on frequency conversion. Note, that the structure exhibits desired mode peak for such region of the wavelengths λ when the original waveguide 1 remains stiU essentiaUy single-mode. To extend this region of wavelengths it is helpful to use air or another very low index material (n « n c\ ) as a cladding from the side of waveguide 1. Another possibihty to extend this range of wavelengths and to improve performance ofthe system is to employ a symmetric waveguide structure analyzed below in more detail. Bringing two waveguides shown in Fig. 1(a) together results in a new symmetric compound multimode waveguide having a large central dip as shown in Fig. 1 (c). This waveguide also exhibits a highest order mode having sharp central peak in its field. An example of this mode is shown in Fig. 1 (d) in the case when λ = 1.55 μm, « c ι = 1.460, = 8 μm and d 2 = 30 μm. This mode ofthe compound multimode waveguide is the result of constructive interference between the individual modes with sharp peaks belonging to each ofthe two original multimode waveguides shown in Fig. 1(a). Other modes are mostly locaUzed outside the central region ofthe waveguide. Therefore, they practicaUy do not contribute ifthe central mode peak is selected by some aperture in the central region ofthe compound waveguide. The normalized ampUtude ofthe peak ofthe mode field in the waveguide center is shown in Fig. 2 (a) as a function of wavelength. The figure demonstrates a periodic dependence ofthe system transmission as a function of wavelength. Thus, the waveguide being tuned to an appropriate working point can operate as a naπow band filter. For example, the cut-off of the filter bands represented in Fig. 2 (a) coπesponds to the wavelengths λ = 1510.0 nm, 1557.2 nm, 1607.0 nm, 1661.0 nm, etc. Increasing the wavelength at these points by only 0.1 nm results in a dramatic decrease ofthe central peak ofthe mode field. The wavelength selectivity ofthe field configuration exhibiting a sharp central peak can be exploited for wavelength selection, while their periodic dependence on wavelength can be employed for efficient frequency conversion in waveguide lasers and parametric osciUators. For example, in one prefeπed embodiment the waveguide structure is made from Nd.ΥAG crystal (n 2 = 1.81, d 2 = 18 μm, ) having sihca cladding (n c\ = 1.460). The central part of this structure is made from doped fused sihca («ι =1.463, d \ = 8 μm) which is thermo-electricaUy poled in strong electric field to provide its nonlinear properties. In this case, both the fundamental mode field configurations at λ = 1.064 μm and its second harmonics at λ = 0.532 μm are found to exhibit about the same mode fields (similar to that in Fig. 1(d)) and close effective mode refractive indices. This unique property ofthe waveguide structure provides almost perfect overlapping ofthe mode fields ofthe fundamental frequency beam and its second harmonic and good phase matching between these modes required for efficient frequency conversion. The amplitude ofthe central peak ofthe mode field has the same periodic dependence on both the waveguide core refractive index n and the waveguide thickness d . The normalized ampUtude ofthe central peak ofthe waveguide mode as a function of refractive index n is shown in Fig. 2 (b). The amplitude ofthe peak ofthe transmitted beam decreases sharply near cut-off of the original waveguide modes at values ofthe refractive index coπesponding to n 2aιt = 1.6364, 1.6482, 1.6620, etc. when the index is varied by as Uttle as IO "4 - 10 " . This high sensitivity suggests that electro- optic, acousto-optic, thermo- optic effects or χ (3) - nonhnearity of core material can be used effectively to control the compound waveguide structure and to tune it to desired operating point. One prefeπed embodiment ofthe short wavelength laser based on symmetric compound waveguide is schematicaUy shown in Fig. 3. Single-mode nonlinear region 1 ofthe compound waveguide is suπounded with multimode active regions 2. The active compound structure of large cross section can be effectively pumped with beam 3 to generate the mode at frequency ω having sharp central peak in nonlinear single-mode region 1. Mirrors 4 and 5 fabricated in the single-mode region 1 and having reflective coefficients R " = 1 and R 5 ω = 1 for the fundamental frequency ω provide a feedback in the system only for one higher order mode 6 with sharp peak in region 1. The feedback for other modes in the compound waveguide structure is practicaUy absent. Therefore, only mode 6 having shaφ peak of its field in single-mode region 1 wiU grow inside the waveguide. Thus, minors 4 and 5 in the region ofthe mode peak perform also mode selection functions. Note, that selection ofthe mode with shaφ peak can also be performed with the help of special computer generated hologram combined with at least one of mirrors 4,5. Simple aperture or end face of an output fiber can also be used for such mode selection. Note that a loop made from the ouφut fiber can simultaneously be used instead of the minors as a convenient feedback means. Although the mode selection is not absolutely necessary for operation ofthe laser, it prevents amplification of other modes in the system resulting in useless consumption ofthe power of pumped active region 2. Concentration ofthe mode power in its central peak inside nonlinear single-mode waveguide region 1 results in generation ofthe second harmonic having frequency lω. For appropriate choice of parameters ofthe compound waveguide structure the higher order mode ofthe second harmonic can have almost the same field configuration as the fundamental frequency mode 6 and its effective refractive index is weU matched to that ofthe fundamental frequency mode. As a result of almost complete overlap ofthe mode fields for the fundamental beam and the second harmonic and their perfect phase matching, generation ofthe second harmonic in the compound waveguide structure can be very efficient, ff minor 4 completely reflects also hght at doubled frequency lω (Rj 2 ™ = 1) and mirror 5 transmits the Ught at this frequency (R5 2ω = 0), then doubled frequency beam 7 wiU be irradiated from one side ofthe structure. This beam can then be effectively coupled to single mode fiber 8, if width of this beam is matched to the fundamental mode of this fiber. For better selection ofthe shaφ central peak ofthe doubled frequency mode one can also employ some aperture or computer generated hologram, which can be conveniently combined with one of minors 4, 5. In the case where multimode active region 2 comprises a material exhibiting also electo-optical properties, configuration of operating mode 5 in the system can be conveniently controUed with the help of external electric field E generated between two thin transparent electrodes 9. Thermo-optical effect can also be used to tune the system to its operating point Note, that actuaUy only one half of the complete structure should be fabricated. To fabricate this structure one should first deposit on substrate 10 thin transparent electrode 9 such as 100 nm ofa sputtered indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode. Then active electro-optical crystal 2 should be glued to the electrode and pohshed down to a thickness of about 20 μm. FinaUy, a few micrometers film of nonlinear material should be deposited to fabricate region 1. Cutting the obtained structure into two parts and combining them together results in a symmetric compound waveguide structure as shown in Fig. 3. One prefeπed embodiment of an optical parametric osciUator based on asymmetric compound waveguide structure is shown in Fig. 4. The compound waveguide structure comprising single-mode nonlinear region 1 and multimode region 2 is pumped with powerful beam 3 at frequency ω p . As a result of three- wave mixing processes in nonlinear region 1 where waveguide mode 6 has its peak, two other modes at signal ω s and idler ω, frequencies are generated, where ω p = ω s + ω, and the modes satisfy the conesponding phase match condition. In the case of parametric osciUator mirrors 4 and 5 are transparent at frequency ω p , but they are highly reflecting at frequencies ( R 5 = R " = 1, R 5 ωs = R 5 ω! < 1). The pump beam at frequency co p passes tlirough the resonator, whUe signal and idler beam at frequencies ω s and ω, respectively are trapped in the resonator. In the case when minors 4 and 5 are made to be transparent also for the beam at idler frequency, the system operates as a singly resonant optical parametric osciUator generating output beam 7 at signal frequency co s . Tuning the system to an operation point, where it has almost the same field configurations 6 with shaφ central peaks inside nonlinear region 1 for the beam at aU three frequencies, provides good overlap between these fields as required for efficient frequency conversion. In the case where a waveguide material in multimode region 2 exhibits electro- optical properties, such a tuning can be conveniently performed by electric field E generated between two transparent electrodes 8 and 9. Note that minors 4 and 5 are not necessary in counteφropagating configuration of optical parametric osciUators and amplifiers. The feedback appears in this case as a result of interaction between counteφropagating signal and idler waves. It is very difficult to realize such a parametric osciUator based on standard scheme, since it is almost impossible to find nonlinear materials with high birefringence required for achieving phase matching. The optical parametric osciUator based on a compound waveguide structure provides a unique possibiUty for realization ofthe phase matching. Such optical parametric osciUator may find many potential appUcations as amplifiers and generators of tunable optical radiation. The optical parametric osciUator described above can be combined with a laser pumping this osciUator. In this case multimode region 2 should comprise an active material which being pumped with some external beam generates hght at pump frequency ω p . To provide a feedback for the hght at pump frequency ω p , minors 4 and 5 , shown in Fig. 4, should be made completely reflecting at this frequency ω p (R 4 ωp = R 5 ωp = 1). Note, that a combination ofthe laser doubling the Hght frequency or generating higher order harmonics and the optical parametric osciUator described above provides a useful tool for increasing the hght frequency and then its continuous adjusting using parametric frequency down conversion. General schemes of short wavelength laser and optical parametric osciUator described above can be based on quite different waveguide structures and materials. In one prefeπed embodiment one can employ multimode fibers having an active (rare earth doped) compound core with appropriate central dip in their refractive index profile made to support propagation ofa higher order mode with a shaφ central peak. Such compound core active multimode fibers can be implemented in the design of enhanced power short wavelength fiber lasers or optical parametric osciUators compatible with single-mode fiber networks. Enhanced power semiconductor lasers and optical parametric osciUators ofa new type can also be designed using the principles described above. Radiation generated in semiconductor lasers is usuaUy strongly confined in the plane of p-n junction. In the direction peφendicular to the plane of p-n junction the beam waist is about 1-2 μm, whUe in the direction paraUel to this plane the beam width can be as large as 200 μm. A compound waveguide structure with low index central dip whose waveguiding layers peφendicular to the plane of p-n junction can be used to confine the laser radiation also in the direction paraUel to the plane of p-n junction. Relatively large cross section of this active compound waveguide provides its efficient pumping whUe the width ofthe intensive central mode peak can be made as smaU as 1- 2 μm. In one prefeπed embodiment this semiconductor laser is based on such semiconductor materials such as AlGaAs. WeU developed technology of organometaUic vapor phase epitaxy (OMNPE) may be employed for its fabrication. Precise fabrication ofthe waveguide layers with weU controUable thickness is routinely achieved using OMVPE technique. Numerical calculations made for the case of waveguide based on AlGaAs semiconductor materials suggest a stmcture ofthe waveguide dimensions as shown in Fig.1 (c) with the foUowing parameters: λ = 0.85 μm, = 3.5, n 2 =3.8, «j = 3.51, = 2 μ , d 2 = 10 μm. This waveguide stmcture exhibits the desired higher order mode with shaφ central peak similar to that shown in Fig 1 (d). It foUows from this figure that width of this peak is smaUer than 2 μm. This feature can provide improvement in efficiency. Astigmatism typicaUy present in common semiconductor lasers is removed, and the beam is essentiaUy diffraction Umited in both axis without an efficiency penalty. To fabricate the planar multimode compound waveguide, the AlGaAs or another semiconductor material with appropriate thickness and refractive index should be grown. Multiple quantum weU stmctures in semiconductor material can be employed to provide nonlinear properties in central region of the waveguide stmcture. Electro-optical properties ofthe multiple quantum weU stmcture fabricated into outer waveguide layers can also be employed to control the system and to adjust it to the operating point with the help of an extemal electric field. Note, that the effect similar to the high order mode with shaφ central peak can also be useful for quantum localization of electron and hole particles having high energy inside appropriately shaped quantum weU stmctures. This provides a possibiUty of further improvement of performance of semiconductor based lasers and optical parametric osciUators. In one prefeπed embodiment one can employ a multiple compound waveguides stmctures periodicaUy spaced along the plane of p-n junction for realization of a semiconductor laser aπay. Appropriate supeφosition of fields from many periodicaUy spaced shaφ mode peaks wiU result in the laser aπay having very high brightness. The inherent sensitivity that compound waveguides of this type exhibit to refractive index variations can be used to control beam directionality and laser cavity quality, and to achieve efficient modulation by simple variation of pumping current density. High sensitivity of shaφ central peak to variations of the waveguide refractive index n 2 , as Ulustrated in Fig. 2 (b), guarantee a possibility for considerable improvement ofthe modulation rate. Ken nonlinearity in the active waveguide material can also be employed for Q-switching and mode locking the lasers to generate short pulses. High second order nonlinearity and electro-optical properties of multiple quantum weU stmctures in the semiconductor material can be employed for fabrication ofthese miniature devices. In one prefeπed embodiment of pulsed waveguide laser with modulated Q-factor an operating point should be tuned to conesponding refractive index « 2cut , but remain below this value. Under such conditions the intensity ofthe field peak passing through an ouφut aperture of the laser is very smaU and the laser is not able to generate a hght beam providing, thus, conditions for effective pump of its active medium. The refractive index n 2 increases with the inversion of population resulting in increasing the intensity ofthe output beam peak used also as a feedback. Therefore the laser begins to generate. As the result of laser generation the inversion of population decreases resulting also in decreasing of refractive index n 2 and break down on the generation. In this way the laser generates a sequence of short, intensive pulses. The described method of modulation of Q-factor can also be useful for design of powerful pulsed waveguide lasers with synchronization of longitudinal modes employing the same mode synchronization technique as have been developed for standard lasers. For example, in one preferred embodiment of a pulsed waveguide laser with synchronization of longitudinal modes one should only adjust length L ofthe active waveguide in such a way that a time interval between two consequently generated pulses is just equal to IL nic, where c is the velocity of hght and n is average refractive index ofthe waveguide. Having described prefened embodiments ofthe invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not Umited to the precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by skiUed in the art without departing from the scope or spirit ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims: Claims 1. An enhanced power waveguide laser based on generation of higher order harmonics including frequency doubling characterized by having (a) a compound, planar, active, multimode waveguide exhibiting both an amplification of an optical beam and an optical nonlinearity, the waveguide having a cladding and a compound core comprising two regions in its cross section, namely an active multimode region amplifying an optical beam and optionaUy exhibiting also electro-optical properties and a single-mode region exhibiting an appropriate optical nonlinearity, refractive index profile ofthe compound waveguide being chosen to support propagation of both a fundamental frequency mode and a higher order harmonic including doubled frequency mode of siπήlar field configuration having taUs in the active multimode region and shaφ peaks in the single-mode region, the taU ofthe fundamental frequency mode field exhibiting amplification as it propagates through the active region ofthe compound waveguide, whUe the peak ofthe fundamental frequency mode field exhibits generation of higher order harmonics including frequency doubling as it propagates through the single- mode nonlinear region ofthe compound waveguide, the refractive index profile in the multimode region being also chosen to provide efficient field overlapping and phase matching between the fundamental frequency mode and the higher order harmonic including doubled frequency mode, as required for efficient frequency conversion, (b) a means to pump an active material in the active multimode region, and (c) a means of optical feedback for the fundamental frequency mode having shaφ peak of its field. 2. The enhanced power waveguide laser of claim 1, further characterized by having the compound multimode waveguide be a planar waveguide having an asymmetric stmcture where the multimode region bounded with the waveguide cladding has refractive index , and the single-mode region bounded with the waveguide cladding has refractive index . 3. The enhanced power waveguide laser of claim 1, further characterized by having the compound multimode waveguide be a planar or a fiber waveguide having a symmetric stmcture with the cladding having a refractive index , the multimode region is in an outer region ofthe compound waveguide core, and the single-mode region being a central region ofthe compound waveguide core. 4. The enhanced power waveguide laser of claims 1, 2 or 3 further characterized by having the means of pumping the active waveguide material be an optical source such as a diode laser, the means of optical feedback for the fundamental frequency mode having a shaφ peak comprises at least two minors and means for selection ofthe mode, such as a mode selecting aperture or computer generated hologram, the means of mode selection can be combined with the minors reflecting radiation ofthe fundamental frequency mode propagating through the multimode region placed between these mirrors, and the diode laser having also a means to select the higher order harmonic including doubled frequency mode having shaφ peak of its field, the means can comprises an aperture, a computer generating hologram or an ouφut optical fiber opticaUy connected to the higher order harmonic including doubled frequency mode with shaφ peak. 5. The enhanced power waveguide laser of claim 4, further characterized by having at least two additional mirrors reflecting the higher order harmonic including doubled frequency radiation propagating through the single-mode region placed between these rnήrors; and at least one ofthe minors being partiaUy transparent. 6. The enhanced power waveguide laser of claim 5, further characterized in that the multimode active region is an active crystal such as Nd: YAG, GdNO 4 : Νd 3+ or GdNO :Tu 3+ , and the nonlinear single-mode region comprises either a lower index nonlinear crystal such as KTP, KDP or a doped fused sihca which is thermo-poled in a strong electric field to provide its nonlinear properties. 7. The enhanced power waveguide laser of claims 1, 2 or 3 further characterized by having the multimode region ofthe compound waveguide comprising active semiconductor materials such as AlGaAs or InP or multiple quantum weU structures to provide electro- optical properties, and means to apply a controlling electric field across the multimode region, the single-mode region ofthe compound waveguide is made from a nonlinear semiconductor material such as multiple quantum weU stmctures, and the means of pumping the active semiconductor material is an electric cuπent. 8. The enhanced power waveguide laser of claim 7, further characterized in that waveguiding layers ofthe compound multimode waveguide stmcture are peφendicular to the plane of p-n junction ofthe semiconductor stmcture. 9. An optical parametric osciUator for parametric amplification and frequency conversion in a compound multimode nonlinear waveguide characterized by having (a) a compound multimode nonlinear waveguide, the waveguide having a cladding and a compound core comprising two regions in its cross section, namely a multimode region and a single-mode region; at least the single mode region exhibits a second order nonlinearity, the multimode region can also exhibit electro- optical properties, refractive index profile in the compound waveguide is chosen to support propagation of simUar field configurations having taUs in the multimode region and shaφ peaks of their fields in the single-mode nonlinear region for higher order waveguide modes at three frequencies ω p , ω s and co; , such that ω p = ω s + o; , wherein ω p is a pump frequency, ω s is a signal frequency and Oj is an idler frequency, the peaks ofthe mode fields providing an efficient frequency conversion in the nonlinear single- mode region when the refractive index profile ofthe multimode part is also chosen to provide required phase matching between the modes at the three frequencies, (b) a means of pumping the nonlinear single-mode region with a beam of frequency ω p , and (c) a means of optical feedback for the signal frequency mode or for the idler frequency mode or for both the signal and idler frequencies modes. 10. The optical parametric osciUator of claim 9, fiirther characterized by having the means of optical feedback for the signal and/or idler frequency modes be at least two minors reflecting the radiation at the frequencies propagating through the single-mode region placed between these minors, where at least one ofthe minors is partiaUy transparent at the signal and idler frequencies, at least one ofthe minors can be combined with a means of selection ofthe signal frequency mode with shaφ peak such as a mode selecting aperture or computer generated hologram. 11. The optical parametric osciUator of claims 9, or 10, further characterized by having the means of pumping ofthe nonlinear single-mode region at frequency ω p comprise the multimode region ofthe compound waveguide comprised of an active material, the active material being pumped with an extemal source, generating a higher order mode, at the pump frequency cθ p in the waveguide structure, having a shaφ peak in the nonlinear single-mode region, a means for optical feedback for the mode at frequency ω p in the active waveguide stmcture, and a means for selection ofthe signal frequency mode. 12. The optical parametric osciUator of claim 11, further characterized in that the means for optical feedback for the mode at frequency ω p having shaφ peak comprises at least two minors and means for selection ofthe mode, such as a mode selecting aperture or computer generated hologram, the means of mode selection can be combined with at least one from the minors reflecting radiation ofthe mode propagating though the active waveguide stmcture placed between the minors. 13. The optical parametric osciUator of claim 9, further characterized by having the compound multimode waveguide be a planar waveguide having an asymmetric stmcture comprising the multimode region bounded with the waveguide cladding having refractive index w 2c ι , and the single-mode region bounded with the waveguide cladding having refractive index «ι c ι . 14. The optical parametric osciUator of claim 9, further characterized by having the compound multimode waveguide be a planar or a fiber waveguide having a symmetric stmcture comprising a cladding of refractive index , a multimode region in an outer region ofthe compound waveguide core, and the single-mode region being a central region ofthe compound waveguide core. 15. The optical parametric osciUator of claims 9, 11, 13, or 14, further characterized by having a means to modulate the refractive index profile in the multimode region ofthe compound waveguide to simultaneously change its signal and idler frequencies by controlling the condition of phase matching required for efficient frequency conversion. 16. The optical parametric osciUator of claim 15, further characterized in that the means of modulation of the refractive index profile in the multimode region ofthe compound waveguide comprises an electric field apphed across the multimode region made from a nonlinear material exhibiting electro- optical properties. 17. The optical parametric osciUator of claim 16, further characterized by having the electric field be generated between two electrodes, the multimode region is placed between the electrodes which can be made from opticaUy transparent material. 18. The optical parametric osciUator of claims 11, 12 or 13 futher characterized in that the multimode active region is an active crystal such as Nd:YAG, GdVO 4 : Nd 3+ or GdVO 4 :Tu 3+ , the multimode active region is pumped with a Hght source such as a diode laser, and the nonlinear single-mode region is either a lower index nonlinear crystal such as KTP, KDP or a doped fused silica which is theπno-poled in strong electric field to provide its nonlinear properties. 19. The optical parametric osciUator of claims 11, 12, 13, or 14, further characterized in that the multimode region ofthe compound waveguide comprises of an active semiconductor materials such as AlGaAs or InP and may comprise also multiple quantum weU stmctures to provide its electro- optical properties and means to apply an electric field across the multimode region, the active semiconductor material is pumped with an electric cuπent, the single-mode region ofthe compound waveguide comprises ofa nonlinear semiconductor material, such as multiple quantum weU stmctures, and waveguiding layers ofthe compound multimode waveguide stmcture are peφendicular to the plane of p-n junction ofthe semiconductor stmcture. 20. The optical parametric osciUator of claims 9, 11, 12, 13, or 14, further characterized in that the signal and idler modes are counteφropagating waves, and the means of optical feedback for the signal frequency mode comprises interaction between the counteφropagating modes.

Inventors: KRIVOSHLYKOV SERGEJ G, KRIVOSHLYKOV, SERGEJ G.
Applicants: CERAMOPTEC IND INC, CERAMOPTEC, INDUSTRIES, INC.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: G02F1
IPC codes: G02F1, H01S3