IR-poled second-harmonic generation in glass

Infrared (IR)-induced second-harmonic generation in the chalcogenide glasses is observed. A phenomenological approach of IR picosecond non-linear optical (NLO) response in glass is developed for the middle IR spectral range (5–15 μm). The observed effect is explained within the framework of fifth-order NLO susceptibilities. A model that reproduces the basic characteristics of the experimental data, in which the optical non-linearities caused by photoinduced electron–phonon anharmonic interactions, is proposed. The role of the IR-induced phase matching conditions in the observed phenomenon is discussed.