All optical poling and second harmonic generation in glasses: theory and experiment

Theoretical and experimental evidence of light driven electron-hole self-or ganization resulting in amplification of seed static electric field is pres ented. The amplification allowed us to perform all optical poling of conven tional commercial "heavy flint" silica glass. The chi ((2))-grating is opti cally recorded in the initially centrosymmetric glass and the second harmon ic generation (SHG) is observed in poled noncentrosymmetric material. The f undamental and frequency doubled output of a YAG:Nd3+ laser starts the poli ng process creating rectified DC-electric field. Then single wavelength rad iation (either fundamental or frequency doubled output) proceeds with optic al recording of nonlinear grating amplifying this initial DC-electric field . (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.