Ultra-broadband mid-infrared generation in dispersion-engineered thin-film lithium niobate

A method of generating mid-infrared radiation, the method comprising:

• pumping a fixed wave and a tunable signal wave to a thin film quadratic nonlinear waveguide formed on a mid-infrared transparent cladding by a thin film material of a predetermined film thickness, the waveguide having a predetermined etch depth and a predetermined top width;
• and
• generating, by the waveguide based on tuning of at least one of the predetermined film thickness, the predetermined etch depth, and the predetermined top width, a coherent idler wave as a mid-infrared radiation from the fixed wave and the tunable signal wave.

A method of manufacturing a device for generating mid-infrared radiation, the method comprising:

• forming a thin film quadratic nonlinear waveguide on a mid-infrared transparent cladding by a thin film material, the waveguide having an etch depth and a top width;
• and
• tuning at least one of a film thickness of the thin film material , the etch depth, and the top width for the device to generate a coherent idler wave as a mid-infrared radiation from a fixed pump wave and a tunable signal wave.