Freeform thin-film lithium niobate mode converter for photon-pair generation

Thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) has emerged as a promising platform for integrated photonics due to its exceptional material properties. The application of freeform topology optimization to TFLN devices enables the realization of compact designs with complex functionalities and high efficiency. However, the stringent fabrication constraints of TFLN present significant challenges for optimization, particularly in nonlinear photonic devices. In this work, we propose an inverse design methodology that successfully addresses these challenges and demonstrates the development of an efficient freeform TFLN mode converter. The numerically optimized mode converter achieves a transmission efficiency of 67.60 % and a mode purity of 84.58 %. Experimental validation through nonlinear processes, including second harmonic generation and spontaneous parametric down-conversion, shows that the fabricated devices improve the efficiency of these processes by factors of two and three, respectively, compared to devices without freeform designs. The proposed inverse design framework provides a powerful tool for advancing the development of TFLN-based devices, with broad applicability to nonlinear and quantum photonics.