Efficient and broadband parametric wavelength conversion in a vertically etched silicon grating without dispersion engineering

Abstract

An efficient and broadband parametric wavelength converter is proposed in the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguide without dispersion engineering. The vertical grating is utilized to achieve the quasi-phase-matching (QPM) of four-wave mixing (FWM). By alternating the phase-mismatch between two values with opposite signs, the parametric attenuation is suppressed. The conversion efficiency at the designated signal wavelength is significantly improved, and the 3-dB conversion bandwidth is also extended effectively. It is demonstrated that the conversion bandwidth is insensitive to both the propagation length and the grating width, which alleviates the tradeoff between the conversion bandwidth and the peak conversion efficiency. For a continuous-wave (CW) pump at 1550 nm, a conversion bandwidth of 331 nm and a peak efficiency of -12.8 dB can be realized in a 1.5-cm-long grating with serious phase-mismatch.