Novel Chip-Based Nonlinear Photonic Sources from the Visible to Mid-Infrared

We propose fundamental studies and development of chip-based multi-spectral sources from the visible to the mid-infrared based on novel second-order nonlinearity (i.e., À(2)) photonic technology. While significant advances have been made with solid-state and semiconductor-based lasers, many gaps across these wavelength regimes remain and most systems remain bulky, table-top instruments. Nonlinear optics has created pathways to realizing broadly tunable sources using optical parametric oscillators based on À(2) crystals. However, such systems have consisted of bulk optics that do not offer SWaP or capability to allow for robust, highly integrated implementations that would enable broad use and scaling for many applications. We will theoretically and experimentally investigate the dynamical behavior of chip-based optical parametric oscillators, which will include regimes of both single-frequency and modelocked operation, as well as second-harmonic generators. To realize these systems, we will develop a novel fabrication approach to fabricating and realizing scalable À(2) nonlinear photonic structures that does not require etching of the lithium niobate À(2) material and leverages the world-leading silicon-nitride technology developed by our team to realize high performance devices. Development of such sources could transform both fundamental and applied research relevant to the DoD including applications in positioning and navigation, atomic physics, sensing, quantum information processing, and biomedicine.