Nonlinear Interaction of Microwave Electric Fields and Sound in LiNbO3

Abstract

The parametric interaction between two oppositely traveling sound waves and a nonspatially varying (k = 0) rf electric field in lithium niobate is illustrated in this paper. A pump frequency near 3 GHz is used to parametrically amplify the sound wave at one‐half the pump frequency. In addition with a pump field that is sufficiently strong parametric oscillations occur within the crystal and this process forms a method of generating sound waves throughout the crystal volume. Finally, we have found that this type of parametric mixing of two sound waves can be used to obtain convolution signals in real time by monitoring the electric polarization generated within the crystal at twice the signal frequency.