Dynamics of resonant self-focusing on second harmonic generation of Gaussian laser beam in a rippled density plasma

Resonant second harmonic generation by a Gaussian laser beam in a rippled density plasma is studied using the moment theory approach. The nonlinearity arises through the relativistic mass effect and ponderomotive forces. The laser beam creates a plasma channel and gives rise to electron density perturbation at the laser frequency. The density perturbation beats with electron quiver velocity to produce second harmonics. The ripple provides phase matching and makes the process a resonant one. The second harmonic power efficiency is increased effectively with density ripple. Self-focusing causes enhancement in the efficiency of harmonic generation.     

Optical harmonic generation and laser light frequency mixing processes in nonlinear media

The essential results achieved during the ten years since the coming of lasers, in the fields of second, third and higher harmonic generation in reflected and transmitted, continuous and pulsed laser light, frequency mixing processes in various materials, and nonlinear optical properties of liquids, gases, crystals and other materials are reported concisely from the available literature. Stress is laid on the newer and more stimulating experimental results, and on their relation with other nonlinear phenomena.Invited review article given on 6 April 1970, at the IVth Polish Conference on Radiospectroscopy and Quantum Electronics in Pozna. This review covers only such papers as were directly accessible to the author.     

High harmonic generation in a laser plasma

The results of investigation of high harmonics of radiation of a Ti:sapphire laser propagating through a laser plasma generated on the surface of different targets are presented. For most of the targets, the intensity distribution of the high harmonics generated is found to form a plateaulike pattern similar to that observed in the case of gas jets. The generation of high harmonics (up to the 65th harmonic, λ = 12.24 nm) is caused by the interaction of femtosecond laser radiation with ions. The conversion efficiency in the plateau region varies from 10^?7 to 8 × 10^?5 depending on the target. The main restriction on the conversion efficiency and the peak intensity of the harmonics generated is caused by the self-defocusing of the femtosecond radiation due to free charge carriers formed as a result of tunnel ionization.     

Peculiarities of self-action in second harmonic generation of laser radiation in nonlinear crystals

By using the generalized method of strong interaction of nonlinear waves and computer simulation, an analysis of the influence of self-action effects on second harmonic generation of an intense diverging picosecond pulse is performed. Using the approximation of strong wave interaction, an analytic solution is obtained for frequency conversion of the laser radiation taking into account the pump intensity depletion, the influence of the angular dispersion effect (ADE), and the higher nonlinearities. It is shown that the self-action effects, the ADE, and the linear phase mismatch can compensate for each other, increasing the efficiency of second harmonic generation. Optimum conditions for second harmonic generation in converging and diverging laser beams were found. An asymmetry of the angular dependence of the second harmonic intensity was experimentally observed and theoretically explained. The asymmetry is caused by the reverse energy conversion of the second harmonic into the pump by the influence of the ADE and Kerr nonlinearities.     

High-order harmonic generation by nonlinear reflection of an intense high-contrast laser pulse on a plasma

We demonstrate the use of a plasma mirror to obtain 60-fs 10-TW laser pulses with a temporal contrast of 10(8) on a nanosecond time scale and 10(6) on a picosecond time scale, and we use these high-contrast pulses to generate high harmonics by nonlinear reflection on a plasma with a steep electronic density gradient. Well-collimated harmonics up to 20th order are observed for a laser intensity of approximately equal to 3 x 10(17) W/cm2, whereas no harmonics are obtained without the plasma mirror.     

Broadband second harmonic generation of an optical frequency comb produced by four-wave mixing in highly nonlinear fibers

We demonstrate broadband second harmonic generation of low-energy pulses produced by injecting two single-frequency lasers into a highly nonlinear fiber. Full nonlinear conversion of the corresponding spectra, consisting of broadband (∼200 nm) optical frequency combs at ∼1580 nm, were obtained by using conventional birefringence phase-matching in two BIBO crystals (2-mm and 100-μm long) with a normal incidence configuration. The crystals were not tilted and the pulses were not compressed. This broadband conversion results from the large phase-matching bandwidth of the nonlinear BIBO crystals at ∼1550 nm, but also seems to be a consequence of a fundamental comb with small spectral phase variation.     

Tunable second harmonic generation by phase-modulated ultrashort laser pulses

We report on the generation of tunable light around 400?nm by frequency-doubling ultrashort laser pulses whose spectral phase is modulated by a sum of sinusoidal functions. The linewidth of the ultraviolet band produced is narrower than 1?nm, in contrast to the 12?nm linewidth of the non-modulated incident spectrum. The influence of pixellation of the liquid crystal spatial light modulator on the efficiency of the phase-modulated second harmonic generation is discussed.     

Calculation of the stationary generation power of a solid-state raman laser with intracavity second harmonic generation and sum frequency mixing

Analytical equations for the power of second-harmonic stationary generation or sum frequency mixing in a Raman laser with an intracavity nonlinear medium are developed and analyzed as functions of pumping mode and other parameters of the laser system. Parameter relationships providing the maximum output power and conditions for suppression of both stimulated Raman scattering by sum frequency mixing and; consequently, of sum frequency mixing itself are found.     

Observation of second harmonic generation by surface waves in a gas discharge plasma

The propagation of a second harmonic surface wave in a gas discharge plasma is investigated experimentally. The results are compared with those obtained for surface waves excited directly.     

Colored conical emission by means of second harmonic generation in a quadratically nonlinear medium

Colored conical emission was observed experimentally in a thick beta-barium borate crystal as a result of spatiotemporal modulational instability. In the presence of both dispersion and diffraction, colored conical emission showed specific features that were characteristic of the nonlinear dynamics of the strongly coupled fundamental and harmonic fields. Experimental observation directly demonstrated that beam angular spectra were substantially modified as a result of exponential growth of perturbations by means of parametric wave mixing. Seeded amplification of colored conical emission was demonstrated to support ultrabroadband up-conversion.     

High power red laser generation by second harmonic generation with GTR-KTP crystal

In this Letter, a gray-tracking-resistant—potassium titanyl phosphate(GTR-KTP) crystal is used for intracavity frequency doubling red laser generation for the first time. Under the 808 nm LD pump power of 180 W, as high as 12.5 W of red laser output is obtained with the optimum repetition rate of 7 k Hz. Within the red laser power variation range between the maximum to 70%, a temperature tolerance is measured to be 35°C. The results prove that GTR-KTP should be a potential nonlinear crystal for red laser generation.     

Total second harmonic emission from a laser produced plasma

The total and specular light emitted at 2ω by a laser produced plasma (τ = 30 ps, λ = 1 μm) have been measured versus intensity (10¹²-10¹⁴ W/cm²), polarization and angle of incidence of the laser beam. The possibility for second harmonic to arise from resonant absorption, through a rippled critical surface, or from parametric decay instability is discussed.     

Second harmonic generation of a self-focused Hermite-Gaussian laser in plasma

Second harmonic generation (SHG) using intense Hermite-Gaussian laser beam (HGLB) propagating through the plasma for mode-indices m = 0 and m = 1 is reported in the present work. Ponderomotive force induced density perturbation beats with the oscillatory velocity of electrons at incident laser frequency, generate the second harmonic nonlinear current that give rise to SHG. Using paraxial approximations, we have derived the coupled equations for the beam width parameter of HGLB and second harmonic's normalized amplitude. Resonance condition is obtained by considering wiggler magnetic field which providing an extra momentum to the second harmonic photon and this result a significant increase in the amplitude of SHG. Our analysis shows the prominent rise in normalized amplitude of second harmonic on increasing the value of the intensity of fundamental laser pulse, normalized wiggler magnetic field and normalized density of plasma. It is notified that the gain of SHG is more prominent for m = 1. Dependency of laser and plasma parameters on SHG is also reported in the current work.     

准晶非线性光子晶体中二次谐波波长和温度调谐的研究

在八重准周期极化的铌酸锂非线性光子晶体中,通过调节基频光波长实现了多个波长的同时共线准相位匹配倍频,最高转换效率达36%.同时,测量了准晶非线性光子晶体中二次谐波转换效率随晶体温度以及入射波长的变化,结果表明二次谐波在长波处具有更宽的温度以及波长调谐带宽.该项研究对于准周期非线性光子晶体在实际工作中的运用具有重要的指导意义. 关键词： 准周期 非线性光子晶体 温度调谐 波长调谐     

Mechanisms for second harmonic generation in the interaction of a superintense ultrashort laser pulse with cluster plasma

The effects of the interaction of an intense femtosecond laser pulse with large atomic clusters are considered. The pulse intensity is of the order of 10¹⁸ W cm^?2. New effects appear when the magnetic component of the Lorentz force is taken into account. The second harmonic of laser radiation is generated. The second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency is proportional to the square of the number of atoms in a cluster and the square of the laser radiation intensity. The resonance increase in the SHG efficiency at the Mie frequencies (both at the second harmonic frequency and fundamental frequency) proved to be insignificant because of the fast passage through the resonance during cluster expansion. The mechanisms of the expansion and accumulation of energy by electrons and ions in the cluster are discussed in detail. The energy accumulation by electrons mainly occurs due to stimulated inverse bremsstrahlung upon elastic reflection of the electrons from the cluster surface. The equations describing the cluster expansion take into account both the hydrodynamic pressure of heated electrons and the Coulomb explosion of the ionized cluster caused by outer shell ionization. It is assumed that both inner shell and outer shell ionization is described by the over barrier mechanism. It is shown that atomic clusters are more attractive for the generation of even harmonics than compared to solid and gas targets.     

Change of optimum conditions of second harmonic generation of spatial limited laser beams in nonlinear crystals

Frequency doubling of spatially limited laser beams in nonlinear crystals is investigated theoretically. It was shown that the major factor, which reduces the second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency in this case, is a diaphragm aperture effect, caused by influence of extraordinary polarized laser beams. In that case a spatial shift of mutually orthogonally polarized beams of the incident waves relative to each other in perpendicular direction of wave transmission at the entry to crystals lead to increase the efficiency of SHG of limited beams.     

Metallic nanocavity-enhanced second harmonic generation from a KNbO3 nonlinear nanowire

We propose and experimentally investigate a self-aligned metallic nanocavity that can enhance second harmonic signals from a single KNbO₃ nanowire. With pump beams in the spectral proximity of the metallic nanocavity resonance, second harmonic intensity is observed to be >1800 times stronger than that of a typical bare nanowire under the same illumination conditions. By studying spectral features and polarization characteristics, we confirm that the nonlinear enhancement originates from the locally intensified electric field of a surface plasmon-polariton mode. This simple and robust scheme represents a powerful platform to study single nanowire nonlinearity.     

Investigation of the nonlinear optical properties of metamaterials by second harmonic generation

The development of a laser absorption spectroscopy sensor system has been described for measurement of two-dimensional (2D) integrated absorbance linear density and temperature distributions. The system incorporates a tunable distributed feedback (DFB) diode laser at 1391.67 nm and a scanning mirror mounted on a moveable carriage, whilst a photodetector and a second scanning mirror are mounted on another moveable carriage. Both carriages move independently along a circular rail with a diameter of 97 cm. The positions of the carriages and the scanning mirrors are controlled by a program via four servomotors. The laser wavelength is scanned over H₂O absorption transitions for 11 fan beam projections from five equally spaced points around the circle. 2D images of the integrated absorbance linear density due to water molecules influenced by two heaters were obtained using the algebraic reconstruction technique (the Kaczmarz method). The derived temperature distribution compared well with thermocouple measurements. The experimental results demonstrate that the system based upon a tunable laser absorption sensor can be used for monitoring the 2D distribution of chemical species and temperature in various reactive flow applications.