Cross-phase modulation-induced spectral broadening in silicon waveguides.

We analytically and experimentally investigate cross-phase modulation (XPM) in silicon waveguides. In contrast to the well known result in pure Kerr media, the spectral broadening ratio of XPM to self-phase modulation is not two in the presence of either two-photon absorption (TPA) or free carriers. The physical origin of this change is different for each effect.

Non-degenerate two-photon absorption in silicon waveguides: analytical and experimental study.

We theoretically and experimentally investigate the nonlinear evolution of two optical pulses in a silicon waveguide. We provide an analytic solution for the weak probe wave undergoing non-degenerate two-photon absorption (TPA) from the strong pump. At larger pump intensities, we employ a numerical solution to study the interplay between TPA and photo-generated free carriers.

Phase-sensitive amplification in silicon photonic crystal waveguides.

We experimentally demonstrate phase-sensitive amplification in a silicon photonic crystal waveguide based on pump-degenerate four-wave mixing. An 11 dB phase-extinction ratio is obtained in a record compact 196 μm nanophotonic device due to broadband slow light, in spite of the presence of two-photon absorption and free carriers. Numerical calculations show good agreement with the experimental results.

Ultracompact (3 μm) silicon slow-light optical modulator.

Wavelength-scale optical modulators are essential building blocks for future on-chip optical interconnects. Any modulator design is a trade-off between bandwidth, size and fabrication complexity, size being particularly important as it determines capacitance and actuation energy. Here, we demonstrate an interesting alternative that is only 3 μm long, only uses silicon on insulator (SOI) material and accommodates several nanometres of optical bandwidth at 1550 nm.

Multi-photon absorption limits to heralded single photon sources.

Single photons are of paramount importance to future quantum technologies, including quantum communication and computation. Nonlinear photonic devices using parametric processes offer a straightforward route to generating photons, however additional nonlinear processes may come into play and interfere with these sources. Here we analyse spontaneous four-wave mixing (SFWM) sources in the presence of multi-photon processes.

Fabrication and characterization of photonic crystal slow light waveguides and cavities.

Slow light has been one of the hot topics in the photonics community in the past decade, generating great interest both from a fundamental point of view and for its considerable potential for practical applications. Slow light photonic crystal waveguides, in particular, have played a major part and have been successfully employed for delaying optical signals(1-4) and the enhancement of both linear(5-7) and nonlinear devices.(8-11) Photonic crystal cavities achieve similar effects to that of slow light waveguides, but over a reduced band-width.

Ultrafast tunable optical delay line based on indirect photonic transitions.

We introduce the concept of an indirect photonic transition and demonstrate its use in a dynamic delay line to alter the group velocity of an optical pulse. Operating on an ultrafast time scale, we show continuously tunable delays of up to 20 ps, using a slow light photonic crystal waveguide only 300 μm in length. Our approach is flexible, in that individual pulses in a pulse stream can be controlled independently, which we demonstrate by operating on pulses separated by just 30 ps.

Four-wave mixing in photonic crystal waveguides: slow light enhancement and limitations.

We demonstrate continuous wave four-wave mixing in silicon photonic crystal waveguides of 396 μm length with a group index of ng=30. The highest observed conversion efficiency is -24 dB for 90 mW coupled input pump power. The key question we address is whether the predicted fourth power dependence of the conversion efficiency on the slowdown factor (η≈S4) can indeed be observed in this system, and how the conversion efficiency depends on device length in the presence of propagation losses.