Accessing quadratic nonlinearities of metals through metallodielectric photonic-band-gap structures.
We study second harmonic generation in a metallodielectric photonic-band-gap structure made of alternating layers of silver and a generic, dispersive, linear, dielectric material. We find that under ideal conditions the conversion efficiency can be more than two orders of magnitude greater than the maximum conversion efficiency achievable in a single layer of silver. We interpret this enhancement in terms of the simultaneous availability of phase matching conditions over the structure and good field penetration into the metal layers. We also give a realistic example of a nine-period, Si3/N4Ag stack, where the backward conversion efficiency is enhanced by a factor of 50 compared to a single layer of silver.
D'Aguanno
Giuseppe
G
Charles M. Bowden Research Center, RDECOM Building 7804, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama 35898-5000, USA. giuseppe.daguanno@us.army.mil
Mattiucci
Nadia
N
Bloemer
Mark J
MJ
Scalora
Michael
M