Abstract

The ability to spectrally translate lightwave signals in a compact, low-power platform is at the heart of the promise of nonlinear nanophotonic technologies. For example, a device to connect the telecommunications band with visible and short near-infrared wavelengths can enable a connection between high-performance chip-integrated lasers based on scalable nanofabrication technology with atomic systems used for time and frequency metrology. Although second-order nonlinear (chi((2))) systems are the natural approach for bridging such large spectral gaps, here we show that third-order nonlinear (chi((3))) systems, despite their typically much weaker nonlinear response, can realize spectral translation with unprecedented performance. By combining resonant enhancement with nanophotonic mode engineering in a silicon nitride microring resonator, we demonstrate efficient spectral translation of a continuous-wave signal from the telecom band (similar to 1,550 nm) to the visible band (similar to 650 nm) through cavity-enhanced four-wave mixing. We achieve such translation over a wide spectral range >250 THz with a translation efficiency of (30.1 +/- 2.8)% and using an ultralow pump power of (329 +/- 13) mu W. The translation efficiency projects to (274 +/- 28)% at 1 mW and is more than an order of magnitude larger than what has been achieved in current nanophotonic devices.

Publication Details
Publication Type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2019
Volume
13
Number of Pages
593+
DOI
10.1038/s41566-019-0464-9
Journal
Nature Photonics
Contributors