All-Optical Field-Induced Second-Harmonic Generation

Applied Optical Physics Group

Vanderbilt University

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Roderick Davidson

OSI-11 2015

AOFISH - OSI-11 2015 2

Third-order nonlinearities in plasmonics

Pai-Yen Chen and Andrea Alù Nano Lett. (2011)

• Highly tunable processes

• Potential for optical

switching

• Frequency conversion

• Nano-scale imaging

Jan Renger et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. (2010)

Plasmonically enhanced 4WM

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Third-order SHG

Wenshan Cai et al. Science (2011)

• Three separate electric fields

• Linear dependence on applied DC field

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Serrated Nanogaps

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Second-Harmonic Interferometric Pump-Probe (SHIP)

• Multiple pulse generation

• Phase and polarization control

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The dielectric medium

• Orthogonal non-

interacting pump and

probe

• Thin film dielectric

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SHIP spectroscopy using PMMA

• PMMA deposited in the gap

• SHG versus pump-probe delay

• Direct probe-plasmon interference

• PMMA removed from the gap

• No plasmon interference

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Single optical cycle SHIP signal

• Pump power varied

• Probe power unaltered

• Maximum plasmonic and

optical fields at

• Maximum plasmonic and

minimum optical fields at

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Pump power dependence

• Nonlinear pump

dependence

• Non-crystalline PMMA

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Conclusions

• Enhanced χ(3) effects of dielectric

medium

• Optical characterization of SHG from

χ(3)

• Promising platform for 4WM and phase

conjugation

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Acknowledgements

Anna YanchenkoJed Ziegler

Benjamin LawrieSergey AvanesyanRichard Haglund