Patterned poled structure devices having increased aperture size, increased power handling and three dimensional patterning capabilities

US6064512A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University · US

Inventors

• Robert L. Byer · Stanford, US
• Robert C. Eckardt · Redwood City, US
• Martin M. Fejer · Menlo Park, US
• Lawrence E. Myers · Stanford, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 5, 1997
• Grant date: May 16, 2000
• Expiry date: Jun 5, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02F1/3548
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Devices for increasing the power handling capability through increased aperture size of patterned poled nonlinear optical material are disclosed. One embodiment employs a prism bonded to the top surface of a plate (a surface parallel to the plate) of poled material. The faces of the prism provide entrance and exit windows for light. Light enters the prism, enters the first surface of the plate at a small angle, reflects from the bottom surface of the plate and then exits the device through the prism exit window. The plate exerts a nonlinear effect on the light. Higher power handling is achieved because, compared to prior art techniques, the light is spread over a larger area in the poled plate. A second embodiment provides for the same advantages by bonding several plates to form a single unit. The plates are stacked, aligned, and bonded together. The result is a single unit with a larger aperture and therefore higher optical power handling capability than is possible with a single plate. Also, a stack of patterned plates provides the ability to construct nonlinear optical devices with three-dimensional poled patterns.