High-performance mid-infrared frequency upconversion in lithium niobate waveguide patterned with metasurfaces

Abstract

Mid-infrared detectors which converter the detected mid-infrared light to the near infrared (NIR) or even visible are of significant interest in free-space communication. We demonstrate a high-performance frequency upconversion from 3.4 μm to 1.064 μm pumped by 1.55 μm in gradient metasurface-assisted thin-film lithium niobate waveguide. Based on this new structure of nonlinear waveguide, the phase-matching condition can be free in on-chip frequency conversion and the power of idler can be 24.5 times as high as that of no metasurface waveguide. The efficient upconversion is realized within a wide signal wavelength range from 3.25 μm to 3.50 μm. This study is helpful for obtaining the precise and integrated mid-infrared detectors.