Negative-Index Metamaterials: Second-Harmonic Generation, Manley-Rowe Relations and Parametric Amplification

Second harmonic generation and optical parametric amplification in negative-index metamaterials (NIMs) are studied. The opposite directions of the wave vector and the Poynting vector in NIMs results in a "backward" phase-matching condition, causing significant changes in the Manley-Rowe relations and spatial distributions of the coupled field intensities. It is shown that absorption in NIMs can be compensated by backward optical parametric amplification. The possibility of distributed-feedback parametric oscillation with no cavity has been demonstrated. The feasibility of the generation of entangled pairs of left- and right-handed counter-propagating photons is discussed.