Second-Harmonic Blue Light Generation in Langmuirblodgett Film Waveguides by Mode Conversion and by use of the Cerenkov-Type Configuration

Abstract

Thin film optical waveguides are very promising for nonlinear optical applications because they provide strong beam confinement over long propagation distances leading to high conversion efficiencies in nonlinear optical processes even at power levels of compact semiconductor diode lasers. One approach to fabricate waveguides for integrated frequencydoublers are Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films [1]. In contrast to other organic processing methods such as poled polymers [2] or deposition of an organic single crystal on a substrate [3] the LB technique has the advantage of a thickness fabrication tolerance of about 4 nm. Such a tolerance is very favourable if phase-matched second-harmonic generation (SHG) by mode conversion in waveguide configuration is to be used.