Efficient spectrum-spanning terahertz frequency synthesis via dielectric structure with nonlinear medium

A system for frequency synthesis, the system comprising:

• a series of cascaded parametric converters comprising:
• a first parametric converter to convert a field at a first frequency into a field at a second frequency higher than the first frequency;
• and
• a second parametric converter, fed by the first parametric converter, to convert the field at the second frequency into a field at a third frequency higher than the second frequency;
• and
• a waveguide, in electromagnetic communication with the first parametric converter and the second parametric converter, to couple the field at the second frequency from the first parametric converter to the second parametric converter,
• wherein the first parametric converter comprises a first photonic crystal cavity simultaneously resonant at the first frequency and the second frequency, the second parametric converter comprises a second photonic crystal cavity simultaneously resonant at the second frequency and the third frequency, and the first parametric converter comprises a distributed Bragg reflector configured to reflect radiation at the first frequency and to transmit radiation at the second frequency.

A method of frequency synthesis, the method comprising:

• at a first parametric converter in a series of cascaded parametric converters, converting a field at a first frequency into a field at a second frequency higher than the first frequency;
• coupling the field at the second frequency from the first parametric converter to a second parametric converter in the series of cascaded parametric converters;
• and
• at the second parametric converter, converting the field at the second frequency into a field at a third frequency higher than the second frequency, wherein converting the field at the first frequency into the field at the second frequency higher comprises:
• coupling the field at the first frequency into a dielectric cavity simultaneously resonant at the first frequency and the second frequency;
• and
• concentrating the field at the first frequency in a second-order nonlinear material that converts the field at the first frequency into the field at the second frequency.