Electric field-induced second-order nonlinear optical effects in silicon waveguides

The symmetry of crystalline silicon inhibits a second-order optical nonlinear susceptibility, χ(2), in complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor-compatible silicon photonic platforms. However, χ(2) is required for important processes such as phase-only modulation, second-harmonic generation (SHG) and sum/difference frequency generation. Here, we break the crystalline symmetry by applying direct-current fields across p–i–n junctions in silicon ridge waveguides and induce a χ(2) proportional to the large χ(3) of silicon. The obtained χ(2) is first used to perturb the permittivity (the direct-current Kerr effect) and achieve phase-only modulation. Second, the spatial distribution of χ(2) is altered by periodically patterning p–i–n junctions to quasi-phase-match pump and second-harmonic modes and realize SHG. We measure a maximum SHG efficiency of P2ω/Pω2 = 13 ± 0.5% W−1 at λω = 2.29 µm and with field-induced χ(2) = 41 ± 1.5 pm V–1. We expect such field-induced χ(2) in silicon to lead to a new class of complex integrated devices such as carrier-envelope offset frequency stabilizers, terahertz generators, optical parametric oscillators and chirp-free modulators. The application of d.c. fields across p–i–n junctions in silicon ridge waveguides leads to crystal symmetry breaking. This induces a second-order optical nonlinear susceptibility that enables phase-only modulation and second-harmonic generation with an efficiency of ∼13% W–1 at 2.29 µm.