Second Harmonic Generation in Ion Implanted Lithium Niobate Planar Waveguides

Abstract

We report the first demonstration of second harmonic generation (SHG) in ion implanted lithium niobate optical waveguides. For both ordinary and extraordinary index profiles a computer program was developed to simulate the positions of the modes within the optical well. With the help of this program the theoretical possibility of SHG using mode matching conditions within the guide was then studied as a function of the guide depth and temperature, and from these predictions, practical guides were constructed. Initially, SHG Cerenkov radiation was observed with leaky single implanted guides. Mode matched SHG from m = 0 to m = 2 was subsequently achieved by means of a multiple energy implant which was able to confine both fundamental and harmonic waves. Allowing for coupling and transmission losses, the corrected conversion efficiency is 0–018% W⁻¹ which compares favourably to a theoretical prediction for this guide of 0–020% W⁻¹. In this case a wide temperature tuning range was obtained.