Nonlinear frequency up-conversion via double topological edge modes

Abstract

We study the nonlinear frequency up-conversion in a plasmonic thin film sandwiched between one-dimensional photonic crystals (PCs) of different Zak phases by rigorous numerical time-domain nonlinear hydrodynamic calculations. We show that the proposed hetero-structure can support robust fundamental and high-order topological edge modes that simultaneously enhance the third-harmonic generation. Numerical simulations also show that femtosecond pulses can excite double topological edge modes through optical tunneling in band gaps, leading to a large nonlinear response. The obtained third harmonic generation (THG) conversion efficiency of the hetero-structure is three orders of magnitude larger than that of a single plasmonic film. The results presented here may open new avenues for designing high-efficiency nonlinear photonic devices.