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Lingling Qiao

Publications and source records attributed to Lingling Qiao.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Broadband highly efficient nonlinear optical processes in on-chip integrated lithium niobate microdisk resonators of Q-factor above 10^8

We demonstrated broadband highly efficient optical nonlinear processes in on-chip integrated lithium niobate (LN) microdisk resonators. The Q factors of the micro-resonators fabricated by femtosecond laser writing and chemo-mechanical polishing are reliably above 10^8, approaching the intrinsic material absorption limit of LN. Broadband nonlinear processes, including optical parametric oscillation (OPO), second harmonic generation (SHG), third harmonic generation, and fourth harmonic generation, were observed with ultrahigh efficiencies in the same LN microdisk without introducing domain inversion, thanks to the natural quasi phase-matching and the dense spectral modes of the X-cut LN microdisk with millimeter diameter. The threshold of OPO and the absolute conversion efficiency of SHG are 19.6 microwatt and 66%, both surpass the state-of-the-art values among on-chip LN micro-resonators demonstrated so far. The broadband and highly efficient nonlinear frequency conversions achieved with the ultrahigh-Q LN microdisk resonators promise high-density integration of nonlinear photonic devices such as frequency convertors and entangled photon sources.

physics.optics↗

A spectrally bright wavelength-switchable vacuum ultraviolet source driven by quantum coherence in strong-field-ionized molecules

We report generation of spectrally bright vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) and deep UV (DUV) coherent radiations driven by quantum coherence in tunnel-ionized carbon monoxide (CO) molecules. Our technique allows us to switch between multiple wavelengths provided by the abundant energy levels of molecular ions. The DUV/VUV sources can have arbitrary polarization states by manipulating the pump laser polarization. The superior temporal and spectral properties of the developed source give rise to a broadband Raman comb in the DUV/VUV region.

physics.optics↗

High-precision measurement of a propagation loss of single-mode optical waveguides on lithium niobate on insulator

We demonstrate fabrication of single-mode optical waveguides on lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) by optical patterning combined with chemo-mechanical polishing. The fabricated LNOI waveguides have a nearly symmetric mode profile of a mode field size of ~2.5 micron (full-width at half maximum). We develop a high-precision measurement approach by which the single mode waveguides are characterized to have a propagation loss of ~0.042 dB/cm.

physics.app-ph↗

Low-loss Lithium Niobate on Insulator (LNOI) Waveguides of a 10 cm-length and a Sub-nanometer Surface Roughness

We develop a technique for realizing lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) waveguides of a multi-centimeter-length with a propagation loss as low as 0.027 dB/cm. Our technique relies on patterning a chromium (Cr) thin film coated on the top surface of LNOI into a hard mask with a femtosecond laser followed by the chemo-mechanical polishing for structuring the LNOI into the waveguides. The surface roughness on the waveguides is determined to be 0.452 nm with an atomic force microscope (AFM). The approach is compatible with other surface patterning technologies such as optical and electron beam lithographies or laser direct writing, enabling high-throughput manufacturing of large-scale LNOI-based photonic integrated circuits.

physics.app-ph↗

Electronic quantum coherence induced by strong field molecular ionization

The existence of electronic coherence can fundamentally change the scenario of nonlinear interaction of light with quantum systems such as atoms and molecules, which, however, has escaped from observation in the investigations of strong field nonlinear optics in the past several decades. Here, we report on the generation of electronic quantum coherence by strong field ionization of nitrogen molecules in an intense 800 nm laser field. The coherence is experimentally revealed by observing a resonant four-wave mixing process in which the two pump pulses centered at 800 nm and 1580 nm wavelengths are temporally separated from each other. The experimental observation is further reproduced by calculating the nonlinear polarization response of N_2^+ ions using a three-level quantum model. Our result suggests that strong field ionization provides a unique approach to generating a fully coherent molecular wavepacket encapsulating the rotational, vibrational, and electronic states.

physics.optics↗

Highly-efficient second and third harmonic generation in a monocrystalline lithium niobate microresonator

Nonlinear optics in whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) microresonators have attracted much attention. Owing to strong confinement of the light in a small volume, a WGM microresonator can dramatically boost the strength of light field, giving rise to enhancement of the nonlinear interactions of light with the resonator material. Here, we demonstrate highly efficient second harmonic generation (SHG) and third harmonic generation (THG) in an on-chip monocrystalline lithium niobate (LN) microresonator. Benefitting from a cyclic phase matching scheme for the transverse-electric WGMs, nonlinear wavelength conversion utilizing the largest second-order nonlinear coefficient d33, which has not been demonstrated until now despite of its obvious advantage, is successfully achieved in an X-cut LN microresonator. We obtain high conversion efficiencies in not only the SHG (3.8% mW^-1) but also the THG (0.3% mW^-2) realized through a cascaded sum-frequency process. Our results represent a major step toward the classical and quantum photonic integrated circuits.

physics.app-ph↗

Lithium niobate micro-disk resonators of quality factors above 10^7

We report on fabrication of crystalline lithium niobate microresonators with quality factors above 10^7 as measured around 770 nm wavelength. Our technique relies on femtosecond laser micromachining for patterning a mask coated on the lithium niobate on insulate (LNOI) into a microdisk, followed by a chemo-mechanical polishing process for transferring the disk-shaped pattern to the LNOI. Nonlinear processes including second harmonic generation and Raman scattering have been demonstrated in the fabricated microdisk.

physics.app-ph↗

Simultaneous generation of four-wave mixing and stimulated Raman scattering in coupled lithium niobate microdisks mediated by second harmonic generation

High quality lithium niobate thin film microresonators provide an ideal platform for on-chip nonlinear optics applications. However, the phase matching condition for efficient parametric process sets a high requirement for fabrication control. Here we demonstrate a photonic molecular structure composed of two strongly coupled lithium niobate microdisks of different diameters fabricated using femtosecond laser micromachining and focused ion beam milling. With a continuous wave excitation, rich nonlinear optical processes including cascaded four-wave mixing and stimulated Raman scattering were observed around the second harmonic wavelength. Our results indicate that the coupled microdisks form a superior system for nonlinear optical process.

physics.optics↗

Fabrication of high quality factor lithium niobate double-disk using a femtosecond laser

We demonstrate fabrication of a high quality factor lithium niobate double-disk whispering-gallery microcavity using femtosecond laser assisted ion beam milling. Using this method, two vertically stacked 30-um-diameter disks with a 200-nm-gap are fabricated. With our device, an optical quality factor as high as 1.2*10^5 is demonstrated. Our approach is scalable to fabricate multiple disks on a single chip.

physics.app-ph↗

Monolithic integration of a high-quality factor lithium niobate microresonator with a free-standing membrane waveguide using femtosecond laser assisted ion beam writing (FLAIBW)

We demonstrate integrating a high quality factor lithium niobate microdisk resonator with a free-standing membrane waveguide. Our technique is based on femtosecond laser direct writing which produces the pre-structure, followed by focused ion beam milling which reduces the surface roughness of sidewall of the fabricated structure to nanometer scale. Efficient light coupling between the integrated waveguide and microdisk was achieved, and the quality factor of the microresonator was measured as high as 1.67*10^5.

physics.optics↗

On-chip electro-optic tuning of a lithium niobate microresonator with integrated in-plane microelectrodes

We demonstrate electro-optic tuning of an on-chip lithium niobate microresonator with integrated in-plane microelectrodes. First two metallic microelectrodes on the substrate were formed via femtosecond laser process. Then a high-Q lithium niobate microresonator located between the microelectrodes was fabricated by femtosecond laser direct writing accompanied by focused ion beam milling. Due to the efficient structure designing, high electro-optical tuning coefficient of 3.41 pm/V was observed.

physics.optics↗

High-throughput in-volume processing in glass with isotropic spatial resolutions in three dimensions

We report on fabrication of three dimensional (3D) microstructures in glass with isotropic spatial resolutions. To achieve high throughput fabrication, we expand the focal spot size with a low-numerical-aperture lens, which naturally results in a degraded axial resolution. We solve the problem with simultaneous spatial temporal focusing which leads to an isotropic laser-affected volume with a spatial resolution of ~100 micron.

physics.optics↗

Fabrication of polarization-independent single-mode waveguides in lithium niobate crystal with femtosecond laser pulses

We report on fabrication of depressed cladding optical waveguides buried in lithium niobate crystal with shaped femtosecond laser pulses. Depressed cladding waveguides of variable mode-field sizes are fabricated by forming the four sides of the cladding using a slit-beam shaping technique. We show that the waveguides fabricated by our technique allows single-mode propagation of the light polarized in both vertical and horizontal directions.

physics.optics↗

Transverse writing of three-dimensional tubular optical waveguides in glass with slit-shaped femtosecond laser beams

We report on fabrication of tubular optical waveguides buried in ZBLAN glass based on transverse femtosecond laser direct writing. Irradiation in ZBLAN with focused femtosecond laser pulses leads to decrease of refractive index in the modified region. Tubular optical waveguides of variable mode areas are fabricated by forming the four sides of the cladding with slit-shaped femtosecond laser pulses, ensuring single mode waveguiding with a mode field dimension as small as ~ 4 μm.

physics.optics↗

Phase matched second harmonic generation in an on-chip lithium niobate microresonator fabricated by femtosecond laser

Nonlinear optical processes in whispering gallery mode (WGM) microresonators have attracted much attention. Owing to the strong confinement of light in a small volume, a WGM microresonator can dramatically boost the strength of light field, thereby promoting the nonlinear interaction between the light and the resonator material. However, realization of efficient nonlinear parametric process in microresonators is a challenging issue. The major difficulty is to simultaneously ensure the phase matching condition and a coherent multiple resonance condition for all the waves participating in the nonlinear conversion process. Here, we demonstrate highly efficient second harmonic generation (SHG) in an on-chip lithium niobate microresonator fabricated by femtosecond laser direct writing. We overcome the difficulty of double resonance for the phase matched pump and second harmonic waves by selectively exciting high order modes in the fabricated thin-disk microresonator. Our technique opens opportunities for integrated classical and quantum photonic applications.

physics.optics↗

Generation of elliptically polarized nitrogen-ion laser fields using two-color femtosecond laser pulses

We experimentally investigate generation of molecular nitrogen-ion lasers with two femtosecond laser pulses at different wavelengths. The first pulse serves as the pump which ionizes the nitrogen molecules and excites the molecular ions to excited electronic states. The second pulse serves as the probe which leads to stimulated emission from the excited molecular ions. We observe that changing the angle between the polarization directions of the two pulses gives rise to elliptically polarized molecular nitrogen-ion laser fields, which is interpreted as a result of strong birefringence of the gain medium near the wavelengths of the molecular nitrogen-ion laser.

physics.optics↗

Fabrication of a microresonator-fiber assembly maintaining a high-quality factor by CO2 laser welding

We demonstrate fabrication of a microtoroid resonator of a high-quality (high-Q) factor using femtosecond laser three-dimensional (3D) micromachining. A fiber taper is reliably assembled to the microtoroid using CO2 laser welding. Specifically, we achieve a high Q-factor of 2.12*10^6 in the microresonator-fiber assembly by optimizing the contact position between the fiber taper and the microtoroid.

physics.optics↗

Formation of in-volume nanogratings with sub-100 nm periods in glass by femtosecond laser irradiation

We present direct experimental observation of the morphological evolution during the formation of nanogratings with sub-100-nm periods with the increasing number of pulses. Theoretical simulation shows that the constructive interference of the scattering light from original nanoplanes will create an intensity maximum located between the two adjacent nanoplanes, resulting in shortening of the nanograting period by half. The proposed mechanism enables explaining the formation of nanogratings with periods beyond that predicted by the nanoplasmonic model.

physics.optics↗