Recent Developments in Nonlinear Optical Materials

Abstract

Advances in nonlinear frequency conversion involve developments in laser pump sources, and nonlinear optical materials and techniques. There is a renewed interest in the development of nonlinear optical materials that has resulted from advances in the other areas, and from applications requiring tunable coherent radiation. Recent materials developments have included improvements in available size and optical quality of established nonlinear materials and the development of new materials that extend the conditions under which nonlinear frequency conversion can be used. There is a large amount of earlier materials work that is the subject of reviews [1]. The current effort in nonlinear optical materials development is also extensive, and the discussion here is limited to bulk inorganic materials used in second order nonlinear frequency conversion processes. Silver gallium selenide, lithium niobate and barium borate are discussed to provide examples.