Fabrication of Periodically-Inverted AlGaAs Waveguides for Quasi-Phase-Matched Wavelength Conversion at 1.55 µm

We have improved fabrication processes of periodically inverted AlGaAs waveguides for highly efficient quasi-phase-matched wavelength conversion. In order to reduce propagation losses in waveguiding devices fabricated based on sublattice reversal epitaxy, we have introduced template planarization by chemical mechanical polishing and low-temperature regrowth technique. Corrugations at the core/clad interface and the propagation loss at 1.55 µm has been reduced to 40 nm and 9 dB/cm, respectively. First-order quasi-phase-matched second-harmonic generation was demonstrated at 1.55 µm fundamental wavelength with a 1.47-mm-long device. Obtained internal conversion efficiency is 2.2%/W which is one order of magnitude lower than the theoretical value for an ideal lossless waveguide. A significant increase in the conversion efficiency is expected with a redesign of the device and further optimization of the fabrication processes.