Holographic properties of the second-harmonic cross correlation of object and reference optical wave fields

We show that second-harmonic cross correlation of the optical field that pr opagates from an illuminated object with the illuminating field isa process that shares many features with holography. The wave fronts of the double-f requency field are able to reconstruct holographic images of the object who se dimensions and position can be calculated by use of the holographic form alism. Our theory fits the experimental results obtained by use of a Q-swit ched Nd:YAG laser as the illuminating source and a thin beta-barium berate crystal in a noncollinear type I phase-matching geometry for cross correlat ion. (C) 2000 Optical Society of America [S0740-3224(00)03306-3].