Optical parametric amplification in silicon nitride waveguides for coherent Raman imaging

We present tunable waveguide-based optical parametric amplification by four-wave mixing (FWM) in silicon nitride waveguides, with the potential to be set up as an all-integrated device, for narrowband coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) imaging. Signal and idler pulses are generated via FWM only 3 nJ pump pulse energy stimulated using 4 mW of a continuous-wave seed source, resulting 35 dB enhancement spectral power density comparison spontaneous FWM. By waveguides different widths tuning wavelength signal wave seed, wavelengths covering region from 1.1 µm 1.6 can generated. The versatility chip-based light source is demonstrated acquiring CARS images.