Wavelength-accurate and wafer-scale process for nonlinear frequency mixers in thin-film lithium niobate
Abstract Recent advancements in thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) photonics have led to a new generation of high-performance electro-optic devices, including modulators, frequency combs, and microwave-to-optical transducers. However, the broader adoption of TFLN-based devices that rely on all-optical...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Communications Physics |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-025-02068-3 |
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| author | C. J. Xin Shengyuan Lu Jiayu Yang Amirhassan Shams-Ansari Boris Desiatov Letícia S. Magalhães Soumya S. Ghosh Erin McGee Dylan Renaud Nicholas Achuthan Arseniy Zvyagintsev David Barton III Neil Sinclair Marko Lončar |
| author_facet | C. J. Xin Shengyuan Lu Jiayu Yang Amirhassan Shams-Ansari Boris Desiatov Letícia S. Magalhães Soumya S. Ghosh Erin McGee Dylan Renaud Nicholas Achuthan Arseniy Zvyagintsev David Barton III Neil Sinclair Marko Lončar |
| author_sort | C. J. Xin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Recent advancements in thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) photonics have led to a new generation of high-performance electro-optic devices, including modulators, frequency combs, and microwave-to-optical transducers. However, the broader adoption of TFLN-based devices that rely on all-optical nonlinearities have been limited by the sensitivity of quasi-phase matching (QPM), realized via ferroelectric poling, to fabrication tolerances. Here, we propose a scalable fabrication process aimed at improving the wavelength-accuracy of optical frequency mixers in TFLN. In contrast to the conventional pole-before-etch approach, we first define the waveguide in TFLN and then perform ferroelectric poling. This sequence allows for precise metrology before and after waveguide definition to fully capture the geometry imperfections. Systematic errors can also be calibrated by measuring a subset of devices to fine-tune the QPM design for remaining devices on the wafer. Using this method, we fabricated a large number of second harmonic generation devices aimed at generating 737 nm light, with 73% operating within 5 nm of the target wavelength. Furthermore, we also demonstrate thermo-optic tuning and trimming of the devices via cladding deposition, with the former bringing ~96% of tested devices to the target wavelength. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8ed3b406b5c94bb0beea5a9dda017f7d |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2399-3650 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Physics |
| spelling | doaj-art-8ed3b406b5c94bb0beea5a9dda017f7d2025-08-20T02:08:09ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Physics2399-36502025-04-01811910.1038/s42005-025-02068-3Wavelength-accurate and wafer-scale process for nonlinear frequency mixers in thin-film lithium niobateC. J. Xin0Shengyuan Lu1Jiayu Yang2Amirhassan Shams-Ansari3Boris Desiatov4Letícia S. Magalhães5Soumya S. Ghosh6Erin McGee7Dylan Renaud8Nicholas Achuthan9Arseniy Zvyagintsev10David Barton III11Neil Sinclair12Marko Lončar13John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard UniversityJohn A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard UniversityJohn A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard UniversityJohn A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard UniversityJohn A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard UniversityJohn A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard UniversityJohn A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard UniversityJohn A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard UniversityJohn A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard UniversityJohn A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard UniversityJohn A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard UniversityJohn A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard UniversityJohn A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard UniversityJohn A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard UniversityAbstract Recent advancements in thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) photonics have led to a new generation of high-performance electro-optic devices, including modulators, frequency combs, and microwave-to-optical transducers. However, the broader adoption of TFLN-based devices that rely on all-optical nonlinearities have been limited by the sensitivity of quasi-phase matching (QPM), realized via ferroelectric poling, to fabrication tolerances. Here, we propose a scalable fabrication process aimed at improving the wavelength-accuracy of optical frequency mixers in TFLN. In contrast to the conventional pole-before-etch approach, we first define the waveguide in TFLN and then perform ferroelectric poling. This sequence allows for precise metrology before and after waveguide definition to fully capture the geometry imperfections. Systematic errors can also be calibrated by measuring a subset of devices to fine-tune the QPM design for remaining devices on the wafer. Using this method, we fabricated a large number of second harmonic generation devices aimed at generating 737 nm light, with 73% operating within 5 nm of the target wavelength. Furthermore, we also demonstrate thermo-optic tuning and trimming of the devices via cladding deposition, with the former bringing ~96% of tested devices to the target wavelength.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-025-02068-3 |
| spellingShingle | C. J. Xin Shengyuan Lu Jiayu Yang Amirhassan Shams-Ansari Boris Desiatov Letícia S. Magalhães Soumya S. Ghosh Erin McGee Dylan Renaud Nicholas Achuthan Arseniy Zvyagintsev David Barton III Neil Sinclair Marko Lončar Wavelength-accurate and wafer-scale process for nonlinear frequency mixers in thin-film lithium niobate Communications Physics |
| title | Wavelength-accurate and wafer-scale process for nonlinear frequency mixers in thin-film lithium niobate |
| title_full | Wavelength-accurate and wafer-scale process for nonlinear frequency mixers in thin-film lithium niobate |
| title_fullStr | Wavelength-accurate and wafer-scale process for nonlinear frequency mixers in thin-film lithium niobate |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wavelength-accurate and wafer-scale process for nonlinear frequency mixers in thin-film lithium niobate |
| title_short | Wavelength-accurate and wafer-scale process for nonlinear frequency mixers in thin-film lithium niobate |
| title_sort | wavelength accurate and wafer scale process for nonlinear frequency mixers in thin film lithium niobate |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-025-02068-3 |
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