Applied Nonlinear Optics

Book excerpt: Directed toward physicists and engineers interested in the device applications enabled by nonlinear optics, this text is suitable for advanced undergraduates and graduate students. Its content is presented entirely on a classical basis and requires only an elementary knowledge of quantum mechanics. The authors demonstrate how real laboratory situations can diverge from ideal theory, acquainting readers with the kinds of problems common to construction of a nonlinear device. They also offer a detailed discussion of the practical problems and characteristics of nonlinear materials, as well as the selection procedures necessary to ensure the use of good material. Their treatment begins with an introduction to the theories of linear and nonlinear optics, along with the basic ideas behind them. Succeeding chapters explore phase matching and nonlinear materials, followed by detailed treatments of second-harmonic generation, parametric up-conversion, and optical parametric amplification and oscillation. Appendixes offer a comprehensive list of materials and their properties; the text concludes with references and an index.