Second harmonic generation optical transition

Periodic oscillations in this dipole can act as a source term in the generation of new optical frequencies. Here a is the linear polarizability discussed in Exps. 29 and 35 on dipole moments and Raman spectra, while fi and x are the second- and third-order dielectric susceptibilities, respectively. The quantity fi is also called the hyperpolarizability and is the material property responsible for second-harmonic generation. Note that, since E cos cot, the S term can be expressed as -j(l + cos 2 wt). The next higher nonlinear term x is especially important in generating sum and difference frequencies when more than one laser frequency is incident on the sample. In the case of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS), X gives useful information about vibrational and rotational transitions in molecules. 

Here Xo (2w), x (wiiw2) and Xo (O) are the non-resonant values of the hyperpolarisabilities. Thus second harmonic generation is resonantly enhanced at both the fundamental and the harmonic of the optical transition, sum and difference frequency generation at the fundamentals and the sum and difference frequencies, and the rarely observed optical rectification only at the fundamental frequency. The term 3 in the expansion gives rise to effects such as third harmonic generation, x(3) -3oj oj, oj,u>), electric field induced second harmonic generation, x(3) (- 2w 0,w, oj), the optical Kerr effect, x(3) (-oj oj, oj, -cj), etc. that will display resonances at oj, 2oj and 3u>. 

Polyphosphazenes are suitable materials to be used as carriers for nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophores. Second order NLO properties have been studied for the polymer (128) and blends of (129) with the free chromophore (130) or the cyclophosphazene (131). All systems have glass transition temperatures higher than 135°C and a wide transparency window. The system (129)-(130) appears to exhibit the highest second-harmonic generation (SHG) response. For possible applications the SHG capability has to be enhanced. ... 

Optical second-harmonic generation experiments give a more detailed description of the anchoring at a microscopic scale [68,69 see also Chapter 5]. The molecule/surface interaction determines the orientational distribution in a thin surface layer extending up to 1 nm. The bulk uniaxial order develops on top of this layer via a transition layer of thickness which is well described by the usual mean-field theory, possibly including non-uniaxial components of the tensor order parameter. 

When the chromophores (dipoles) of a polymer are oriented electrically (electric field poling) and mobility is frozen below the glass transition temperature of the polymer, these materials can be used as frequency doublers (second harmonic generation (SHG)), and materials for waveguides and electro-optical devices. ... 

---