Cascade random-quasi-phase-matched harmonic generation in polycrystalline ZnSe

ORAL

Abstract

We experimentally studied cascade random-quasi-phase-matched harmonic generation in polycrystalline zinc selenide with a mid-infrared nanosecond laser. Observations show a sudden transition between two scaling regimes, below I\textasciicircum N and above I\textasciicircum N respectively, where I is the pump intensity and N is the harmonic order. To understand this phenomenon, we simulated the coupled three-wave mixing equations that govern the process on a domain of randomly-oriented, randomly-sized grains. We found that the phase-matching condition varies with grain size, indicating that grain size manipulation can be used as a pathway for phase-matching optimization of various wave mixing effects in polycrystalline materials.

*DARPA PULSE No. 12-63-PULSE-FP014, NNSA Cooperative Agreement No. DE-NA0002008

–

Authors

  • Herbie Smith

    • University of Texas at Austin

  • Rotem Kupfer

    • University of Texas at Austin

  • Hernan Quevedo

    • University of Texas at Austin

  • Luc Lisi

    • University of Texas at Austin

  • Ganesh Tiwari

    • University of Texas at Austin

  • C. Grant Richmond

    • University of Texas at Austin

  • Brant Bowers

    • University of Texas at Austin

  • Li Fang

    • University of Texas at Austin, Ohio State University

  • B. Manuel Hegelich

    • University of Texas at Austin; Center for Relativistic Laser Science, Institute for Basic Science