CAD of Non-linear Optical Properties of Thin-film Structures

This proposal addresses development of CAD software for simulating non-linear optical materials. The software will provide a virtual lab in which experimental setups are simulated. The proposed software is based on the use of a Maxwell differential equation solver, the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method. This numerical method has been developed by numerous researchers since 1968 and now is mature enough to provide the simulation of 3 dimensional, anisotropic, non-linear, inhomogeneous, layered optical structures in the presence of energy beams with arbitrary direction, temporal distribution, and polarization. This proposal addresses the assembly of the existing FDTD components and the integration of the computational kernel into a graphical user interface. Our Phase I activity will be confined to the development and demonstration of a one dimensional simulation capability which models plane waves normally incident on a layered non-linear optical structure. Our Phase II activity will provide a three dimensional simulation capability that can model arbitrarily oriented waves impinging on a layered anisotropic non-linear optical system.