Reference free Chi 3 dispersion measurements in planar tantalum pentoxide waveguides

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Description/Abstract

We utilize analysis of third harmonic generation under femtosecond pulsed excitation as a reference free measurement method for third order nonlinear susceptibility (χ (3) or “Chi 3”) of planar waveguides. We investigate χ (3) dispersion in planar Ta2O5 waveguides at wavelengths either side of the telecoms window, obtaining a nonlinear coefficient of 2 ×10−13 esu, at 1550 nm. Our study indicates that χ (3) increases within the measured wavelength range due to a threephoton resonance of Ta2O5 electrons, revealing the potential of this material system in high speed integrated nonlinear optical switches for the telecommunications spectral window.