Bandwidth enhancement and response flattening of cascaded sum- and difference-frequency generation-based wavelength conversion

We investigate bandwidth enhancement and response flattening of wavelength conversion based on cascaded sum-frequency generation and difference-frequency generation (SFG/DFG) in quasi-phase-matched periodically poled lithium niobate waveguides by use of two pump lights. Analysis shows that the conversion properties deeply depend on the pump settings. The bandwidth is efficiently enhanced by augmenting the pump wavelength difference. The critical bandwidth corresponding to the response fluctuation of 1 dB in a 3-cm-long waveguide reaches 80-90 nm, which is enough to cover the entire conventional-band and long-wavelength-band. The cascaded SFG/DFG bandwidth is about 24% broader than that of the cascaded second-harmonic generation and difference-frequency generation-based configuration with the same waveguide length. However, the response fluctuation is also enhanced together with the bandwidth enhancement. The method of pump detuning is presented to flatten the response fluctuation. The fluctuation is reduced by more than 1 dB and it can be further reduced by increasing the pump detuning value with a little efficiency penalty. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.