Linear Optics vs Non Linear Optics

• Linear optics- ‘Optics of weak light’:

Light is deflected or delayed but its frequency is unchanged.

• Non-Linear optics-‘Optics of intense light’:

We are concerned with the effects that light itself induces as it
propagates through the medium.

Nonlinear optics allows us to change the color of a light

beam, to change its shape in space and time, and to
create the shortest events ever made by Man
Large Dk Small Dk
Integrate from z=0 to z=Z and E2 (z=0) =0
 Phase-Matching Second-Harmonic
Generation
About the difficulty to achieve the phase matching condition :
In general, the refractive
The phase-matching index for
condition for lossless
SHG: materials shows a NORMAL
DISPERSION : the refractive index is increasing with the frequency
Phase-Matching SHG Using
Birefringence
Birefringent . Ordinary and extraordinary refractive indices
can be different by up to ~0.1 for SHG crystals.

We can now satisfy the

1 cos 2 ( ) sin 2 ( )
phase-matching condition. = +
ne ( ) 2
no 2
ne2
Use the extraordinary
polarization for w and
the ordinary for 2w. ne depends
Refractive index
ne on the
n0(2w) = ne(w) propagation
angle, so we
no can tune for
Some crystals have
a given w.
ne < no, so the opposite
polarizations work. w 2w
Frequency
Birefringence for an Arbitrary Propagation Angle
Varying the crystal tilt angle changes ne, but not no.

Optic Axis 1 cos 2 ( ) sin 2 ( )

= +
Uniaxial ne ( ) 2
no 2
ne2
crystal

 ext When  = 90⁰, ne() = ne.

k
SH
Extraordinary And when  = 0⁰, propagation
polarization is along the optic axis, so
both polarizations are
ordinary, and ne() = no.

Rotating a crystal—and tuning the refractive index of whichever beam

is the extraordinary ray—is an important strategy in nonlinear optics.
Noncollinear phase-
x
matching SHG crystal
w z
k = k cos zˆ − k sin xˆ 

k  = k cos zˆ + k sin xˆ 2w
w
k pol = k + k  = 2 k cos zˆ
Dropping the “o” and “e” subscripts
w for simplicity. But our calculation only
 k pol = 2 n(w ) cos holds for w being the ordinary ray.
c0 If not, n(w) depends on angle.
But:
2w So the phase-
k sig = n(2w ) matching condition n(2w ) = n(w ) cos
c0 becomes:

This condition restricts the allowable beam angles and crystals

because n(w) tends to be lower than n(2w) to begin with, and cos()
only reduces it further. The birefringence must be large for this to work.
 Type II SHG SHG x
crystal
phase-matching w z

It’s also possible to phase-match

SHG in some crystals using two 2w
orthogonal input polarizations. w

w w
k pol = k + k  = no (w ) cos zˆ + ne (w ) cos zˆ
c0 c0
w
 k pol =  no (w ) + ne (w ) cos
c0
But: So the Type II phase-matching
2w condition becomes:
k sig = n(2w )
c0 n(2w) = 12  no (w) + ne (w) cos

Type II requires even more birefringence (effectively using only half

of it), so not all crystals can do it, especially when noncollinear.
Naturally, when significant energy is transferred to the second
harmonic, the fundamental field will be depleted, and the
approximation on A1(z) is constant will break down

In terms of the number of photons

Sum frequency generation (SFG): two input pump
beams have different frequencies ω1 and ω2, leading
to the generation of the sum frequency ω3 through
second order nonlinearity
Coupled-wave equations
 Coupled-wave equations

TWM stands for three-wave mixing

we make the undepleted pump approximation means E2

and E1 are constant
.
 Coupled-wave equations
we will write the coupled-wave equations in terms of the
modified field variables
 Coupled-wave equations

Difference Frequency Generation (DFG)

A parallel result can be obtained for DFG (ω3 − ω2 = ω1) if
the energy conversion to ω1 is sufficiently small that both
A3 and A2 can be treated as constants. In
 Optical parametric amplification
involves the transfer of power from a "pump" wave
at ω 3 to waves at frequencies ω1 and ω2 ,
where ω3 = ω1 + ω2
It is fundamentally similar to the case of second-
harmonic generation.
The only difference is in the direction of power flow.
In second-harmonic generation, power is fed from
the low frequency at ω to the field at 2 ω.
In parametric amplification, power flow is from the
high-frequency field (ω 3) to the low-frequency fields
at ω1 and ω2
 Optical parametric amplification

the high frequency ω3 is called the pump, the lower

frequency of primary interest is called the signal (ω2), and
the remaining frequency is called the idler (ω1). In practice,
the signal usually has a higher frequency than the idler.

We use the undepleted pump approximation for the

higher-frequency input wave ω3
Phase matching condition

conservation of energy among

the three interacting fields

In physical terms, for every photon gained

(or lost) at ω3, one is lost (or gained) at
both ω1 and ω2
 Nonlinear-Optical Notation
Polarization frequency Input frequencies (in order)

(2)

Output polarization direction Input field directions (1, 2, 3 or

x, y, z)

We must include factors of ½ in the expressions for

the real polarization and electric field [P = ½ (P +
P*) and E = ½ (E + E*)
 ω + ω = 2ω second harmonic generation (SHG)
(2)

ω1 + ω2 = ω3 of sum frequency generation (SFG)

Third order nonlinear Optical processes
Polarization=

• can occur in centrosymmetric crystals

• Phase matching is easier to achieve
• Third harmonic generation

• DC Kerr Effect (ω=0+0+ ω)

• Optical Kerr Effect (ω1=ω2-ω2+ ω1)

 Self action effects
light beam modifies its own propagation