Electro-optic and piezo-optic tuning of second-order nonlinear processes in crystals
Abstract
The power-handling capability of crystals utilized for second harmonic generation (SHG) and other nonlinear frequency conversions has until recently been limited to a few watts of average output power, chiefly because of two conditions, namely, thermal instability and thermal gradients. Now, techniques have been invented that correct these conditions with a resulting order of magnitude increase in the average output power produced by SHG. This paper presents the theory for two techniques that solve the problem of thermal instability, namely, electro-optical tuning (EOT) and piezo-optical tuning (POT). Beam shaping, which prevents thermal gradients, will be treated in a separate paper. In this paper, the general physical theory is discussed both for EOT and POT. The equation for the phase-match condition is given. Interactive effects of temperature change ΔT, the applied electric field (E), and the stress field σ on a fixed-position crystal are treated. The general equations for EOT and POT are developed. Examples of the effect on SHG in cesium dideuterium arsenate (CD*A) are given. Using these techniques, with beam shaping to be described in a separate paper, 35 W of average output power at 0.53 μ has already been demonstrated.
- Publication:
-
Journal of Applied Physics
- Pub Date:
- January 1978
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.324347
- Bibcode:
- 1978JAP....49..396H
- Keywords:
-
- Crystal Optics;
- Electro-Optics;
- Nonlinear Optics;
- Piezoelectric Crystals;
- Tuning;
- Crystal Lattices;
- Energy Conversion Efficiency;
- Harmonic Generations;
- Laser Outputs;
- Matrices (Mathematics);
- Stress Distribution;
- Solid-State Physics;
- 78.20.Hp;
- 78.20.Jq;
- 42.65.Cq;
- Piezo- elasto- and acoustooptical effects;
- photoacoustic effects;
- Electrooptical effects