A numerical investigation of difference frequency generation in nonlinear multilayered metamaterials

Abstract

In this paper, a second-order nonlinear interaction, difference-frequency generation, based on three-wave mixing process in nonlinear multilayered metmaterial has been investigated numerically. The nonlinear multilayered metmaterial is composed of two periodically alternating metallic and dielectric layers, which their layer thicknesses are reduced into deep-subwavelength size for creating some nonlinear optical effect enhancement mechanism. The optimal engineered structure gives a dispersion relation having near zero permittivity at some frequencies and can be called epsilon-nearzero point. When a pump frequency (ω1) is determined at this point, the epsilon-near-zero phase matched condition and field intensity enhancement are easily achieved and then a strong idler wave at difference-frequency ω3 = ω1 â' ω2, corresponding to DFG effect can be generated efficiently. According to this parametric interaction, the nonlinear multilayered metamaterial can be applied as nonlinear frequency converters in various nanophotonic systems. © 2017 SPIE.