High-flux photon-pair source from electrically induced parametric down conversion after second-harmonic generation in single optical superlattice

We present here a possible high-flux photon-pair source constructed by single lithium niobate optical superlattice (OSL) with a combined quasi-periodically and periodically poled structure, which is from the principle of electrically induced parametric down conversion (PDC) after second-harmonic generation (SHG), predicted by the united theory developed in this paper, in which SHG, PDC and electro-optic (EO) effect are comparably treated as two-order nonlinear effects. In the OSL, the e-polarized fundamental frequency photons are first converted to double frequency ones with the same polarization; then the PDC process is triggered by EO effect when the fundamental frequency photons are almost exhausted; finally, the double frequency photons are converted again to a series of two-photon pair of fundamental wave. It is demonstrated that at 100 degrees C, in a 20.2mm long OSL with a mm 30V/mm applied electric field, a 100MW/cm(2), 1080 nm laser beam can be translated to a flux of high-purity two-photon pairs with a conversion efficiency close to 100%; and for a longer OSL the pump intensity can be further lowered. The device can also act as an ultra-low field electro-optic switch. (C) 2007 Optical Society of America