Continuous-wave millimeter wave generation at 94 GHz in a lithium niobate nonlinear optical waveguide using modulated optical input

Continuous-wave millimeter wave signals are generated at 94 GHz in a LiNbO3 nonlinear optical waveguide. Optical light with two frequency components is introduced into an optical waveguide, and the generated millimeter waves are obtained from a terminal connected to the metallic traveling waveguide. The configuration is made with a LiNbO3 commercial phase modulator. The generated signals have square-law characteristics between the output and the input power. Experimentally obtained results show that the probable candidate of this physical mechanism is difference frequency generation in nonlinear optical materials. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.