OPTICAL WAVELENGTH CONVERSION ELEMENT AND SHORT WAVELENGTH LASER BEAM SOURCE

摘要

PURPOSE:To stably output and modulate the higher harmonic waves emitted from the optical wavelength conversion element constituted by using a nonlinear optical effect. CONSTITUTION:Electrodes 15 are formed on an optical waveguide 2 of the optical wavelength conversion element constituted by forming polarization inversion layers 3 and the optical waveguide 2 on an LiTaO3 substrate 1. The output light of an SHG (second harmonic wave generating element) is stabilized by impressing the electric field by the electrodes 15 to the above-mentioned optical wavelength conversion element. The output of the SHG is modulated to multiple stages by dividing the electrodes and controlling the respective voltages. Then the stable operation is executed by changing the voltage to be impressed to the optical wavelength conversion element even if the environmental temp. changes and the wavelength of a semiconductor laser changes. The phase matching states under the respective electrodes are controlled by dividing the electrodes and, therefore, the high-speed modulation of the output in multiple stages is possible. In addition, the integration of the modulating mechanisms on the optical wavelength conversion element is possible and, therefore, the small-sized light source is constituted.