Optical downconverter

Optical DownConverter (ODC) is an example of a non-linear optical process, in which two beams of light of different frequencies ω₁ and ω₂ interact, creating microwave with frequency ω₃ = ω₁ − ω₂. It is a generalization of microwave. In the latter, ω₁ = ω₂, both of which can be provided by a single light source. From a quantum mechanical perspective, ODC can be seen as result of deferencing two photons to produce a microwave. Since the energy of a photon is given by

$E_\nu = \hbar\omega,$

the frequency summing ω₃ = ω₁ − ω₂ is simply a statement that energy is conserved.

In a common ODC application, light from a tunable infrared laser is combined with light from a fixed frequency visible laser to produce a microwave created by a wave mixing process.

The ODC use milimeteric microwave cavity that include photonic crystal that provide by two sigal frequency light source. The microwave is detected by the cavity antenna.

See also

• Sum frequency generation
• Homodyne detection

External links

• Optical Downconvector
• Frequncy Measurement
• AdvR - Down conversion in KTiOPO4 (KTP)