Second-harmonic generation in metal and semiconductor low-dimensional structures

Abstract

In this article previous and recent results of our nonlinear optical studies of low-dimensional structures are surveyed. Size effect in the optical second-harmonic generation (SHG) from Ag nanocrystals in island films and CdSe quantum dots in glass matrices as well as thermo- and DC-electric-field-induced effects in SHG from SiSiO 2 multiple quantum wells (MQWs) on Si substrate are studied experimentally and theoretically. Essential (by several orders of magnitude) enhancement of quadratic optical response upon decrease in the particle size is observed for both Ag nanocrystals and CdSe quantum dots. Regular oscillations in the second-harmonic intensity measured as functions of temperature and applied DC electric field are observed for MQWs. It is shown that the size effect for metal nanocrystals can result from the fluctuations of the particle size breaking the local inversion symmetry. Another mechanism studied (based on concepts of dynamic chaos) describes the observed size effects for both metal and semiconductor particles. The dependence of the second-harmonic intensity on the SiO 2 layer thickness in MQWs is described with taking into account the retardation of the second-harmonic radiation in MQWs, whereas the thermoinduced effect is interpreted as resulting from the optical interference in the MQWs substrate having thickness dependent on temperature (due to the thermal expansion). A possible approach to explaining the observed electroinduced effect in MQWs is also discussed.