Parametric Nonlinearities
Definition: instantaneous optical nonlinearities based on the χ(2) or χ(3) nonlinear tensor of a transparent medium
More general term: optical nonlinearities
German: parametrische Nichtlinearitäten
Category: physical foundations
How to cite the article; suggest additional literature
Author: Dr. Rüdiger Paschotta
Parametric nonlinearities are optical nonlinearities with an instantaneous response based on the χ(2) or χ(3) nonlinearity of a medium. They give rise to effects such as frequency doubling, sum and difference frequency generation, parametric amplification and oscillation, and four-wave mixing.
Usually, phase matching is a condition for achieving a high efficiency in such processes. This occurs only in a limited bandwidth. However, by manipulation of the parameters which influence the phase matching, it is possible to shift the wavelength range where the nonlinear interaction is strong.
Parametric processes are usually polarization-dependent: the nonlinearity itself is polarization-dependent, and at least in cases with a χ(2) nonlinearity also the phase matching, because such media exhibit birefringence.
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Bibliography
| [1] | G. D. Boyd and D. A. Kleinman, “Parametric interaction of focused Gaussian light beams”, J. Appl. Phys. 39 (8), 3597 (1968), doi:10.1063/1.1656831 |
| [2] | S. Radic, “Parametric amplification and processing in optical fibers”, Laser & Photon. Rev. 2 (6), 498 (2008), doi:10.1002/lpor.200810049 |
See also: nonlinearities, nonlinear polarization, nonlinear crystal materials, phase matching, group velocity mismatch
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