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Physical Review A

Ultrafast adiabatic manipulation of slow light in a photonic crystal

Tobias Kampfrath, D. M. Beggs, Thomas P. White, Andrea Ivano Melloni, Thomas F. Krauss, L. Kuipers

Published Apr 27, 2010• 86 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We demonstrate by experiment and theory that a light pulse propagating through a Si-based photonic-crystal waveguide is adiabatically blueshifted when the refractive index of the Si is reduced on a femtosecond time scale. Thanks to the use of slow-light modes, we are able to shift a $1.3$-ps pulse at telecom frequencies by 0.3 THz with an efficiency as high as $80%$ in a waveguide as short as $19\ensuremath{\mu}$m. An analytic theory reproduces the experimental data excellently, which shows that adiabatic dynamics are possible even on the femtosecond time scale as long as the external stimulus conserves the spatial symmetry of the system.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.81.043837

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Physical Review A•Jan 25, 2016•23 citations
We demonstrate by experiment and theory that a light pulse propagating through a Si-based photonic-crystal waveguide is adiabatically blueshifted when the refractive index of the Si is reduced on a femtosecond time scale. Thanks to the use of slow-light modes, we are able to shift a 1.31.31.3-ps pulse at telecom frequencies by 0.3 THz with an efficiency as high as 8080%80 in a waveguide as short as 19\ensuremathμ19\ensuremath{\mu}19\ensuremathμm. An analytic theory reproduces the experimental data excellently, which shows that adiabatic dynamics are possible even on the femtosecond time scale as long as the external stimulus conserves the spatial symmetry of the system.
Using slow-light photonic crystal waveguides in ultrafast pump-probe experiments, we demonstrate the adiabatic frequency conversion and ultrafast switching of telecoms light pulses on a silicon chip. By storing a 1.3 ps pulse in the slow-light modes of a photonic crystal waveguide, we are able to blue-shift it by 0.3 THz with high (80%) efficiency. We show that the shift occurs when the pulse adiabatically follows the modes of the waveguide in which it travels upon these modes being perturbed by the absorption of a pump pulse. We also show rerouting of optical pulses in a bandwidth limited time of just 3ps. The switch is based on coupled W1 photonic crystal waveguides, and the interaction between the waveguide modes is optimised to give an ultra-short (~3λ) switching length of just 5μm.
We demonstrate ultrafast delay tuning of a slow-light pulse with a response time <10 ps. This is achieved using two types of slow light: dispersion-compensated slow light for the signal pulse, and low-dispersion slow light to enhance nonlinear effects of the control pulse. These two types of slow light are generated simultaneously in Si lattice-shifted photonic crystal waveguides, arising from flat and straight photonic bands, respectively. The control pulse blueshifts the signal pulse spectrum, through dynamic tuning caused by the plasma effect of two-photon-absorption-induced carriers. This changes the delay by up to 10 ps only when the two pulses overlap within the waveguide and enables ultrafast tuning that is not limited by the carrier lifetime. Using this, we succeeded in tuning the delay of one target pulse within a pulse train with 12 ps intervals.
We demonstrate indirect photonic transitions in a silicon slow light photonic crystal waveguide. The transitions are driven by an optically generated refractive index front that moves along the waveguide and interacts with a signal pulse copropagating in the structure. We experimentally confirm a theoretical model which indicates that the ratio of the frequency and wave vector shifts associated with the indirect photonic transition is identical to the propagation velocity of the refractive index front. The physical origin of the transitions achieved here is fundamentally different than in previously proposed refractive index modulation concepts with fixed temporal and spatial modulation frequencies; as here, the interaction with the refractive index front results in a Doppler-like signal frequency and wave vector shift. Consequently, the bandwidth over which perfect mode frequency and wave vector matching is achieved is not intrinsically limited by the shape of the photonic bands, and tuning of the indirect photonic transitions is possible without any need for geometrical modifications of the structure. Our device is genuinely nonreciprocal, as it provides different frequency shifts for co- and counterpropagating signal and index fronts.
An approach to store light dynamically in slow light waveguides is proposed. First, design guidelines are developed for waveguides that allow dynamic group velocity control. Then an example of a silicon photonic crystal waveguide is presented where group velocity can be drastically reduced by applying a refractive index change of−5.5×10−2{-}{5.5}\times 10^{-2}−5.5×10−2to a specific part of the waveguide. Performing the index change while a light pulse is confined to the waveguide, we show by numerical simulations a tunable storage time of more than 70 ps for a pulse of 60 GHz bandwidth. We argue that the magnitude of the required change of the refractive index can be reduced by mode optimization.
We report what we call co- and counter propagating slow-light systems based on the high nonlinearity in Si lattice-shifted photonic crystal waveguides (LSPCWs). The intense slow-light pulse, as a control pulse, efficiently generates two-photon absorption and carrier plasma effects, which tunes the dispersion characteristics of the LSPCWs and spectrum of copropagating or counter-propagating slow-light pulse, as a signal pulse. Using the control pulse, we succeeded in experimentally demonstrating adiabatic wavelength conversion and its enhancement, delay tuning of up to 10 ps with a response time <10 ps, and temporal pulse compression of factor 9.9 in the signal pulse. Furthermore, we discussed theoretically the collision and reflection of the signal pulse counterpropagating against the control pulse through the photonic-bandgap shift, resulting in a large Doppler shift. Considering the detail of these phenomena, we clarified the relation and difference between the adiabatic wavelength conversion, cross-phase modulation, and Doppler shift, which have been unclear so far.
In this Rapid Communication, we theoretically discuss a large Doppler shift in a signal slow-light pulse in a photonic-crystal waveguide by considering its reflection at a quasilight speed mirror. The mirror is formed by the photonic band-gap shift induced by the high nonlinearity of a control slow-light pulse, which could be possible in a realistic device. In the simulation, the Doppler shift appears at multiple frequencies due to the Bloch nature of the photonic lattice. Larger but inefficient Doppler shifts occur through nonadiabatic processes, whereas the smallest but more efficient shift (i.e., the intraband Doppler shift) occurs through an adiabatic process. The occurrence of the intraband shift depends on whether the adiabatic process produces a complete reflection of the incident pulse, despite the fact that the pulse penetrates the mirror. A large band-gap shift and a moderately slow mirror satisfy this condition; otherwise, the shift ends at the halfway point.