Everything about Nonlinear optics
Branch of physics
Nonlinear optics (NLO) is a branch of optics that studies the case when optical properties of matter depend on the intensity of the input light. Nonlinear phenomena become relevant only when the input light is very intense. Typically, in order to observe nonlinear phenomena, an intensity of the electromagnetic field of light larger than 108 V/m (and thus comparable to the atomic electric field of ~1011 V/m) is required. In this case, the polarization density P responds non-linearly to the electric field E of light. In order to obtain an electromagnetic field that is sufficiently intense, laser sources must be used. In nonlinear optics, the superposition principle no longer holds, and the polarization of the material is no longer linear in the electric field intensity. Instead, in the perturbative limit, it can be expressed by a polynomial sum of order n. Wikipedia →
🧭 Start here: a 6-step reading path
- Read the overview: Nonlinear opticsA 5-minute orientation
- Skim a recent paper: Achieving the full-wavelength phase-matching for efficient nonlinear optical frequency conversion in C(NH2)3BF4Influential work since 2022
- Pick up a classic book: An introduction to nonlinear opticsThe most-reprinted book on the subject
- Read the landmark paper: A Powder Technique for the Evaluation of Nonlinear Optical MaterialsCited 5,959 times
- Go sideways: Four-wave mixingA closely related topic
- Go sideways: Parametric process (optics)A closely related topic
📖 Definitions
No dictionary entry for this exact phrase.
🏆 Landmark papers (most cited)
A Powder Technique for the Evaluation of Nonlinear Optical Materials
Intense few-cycle laser fields: Frontiers of nonlinear optics
Transmission of stationary nonlinear optical pulses in dispersive dielectric fibers. I. Anomalous dispersion
Nonlinear Dielectric Polarization in Optical Media
🆕 Influential since 2022
Achieving the full-wavelength phase-matching for efficient nonlinear optical frequency conversion in C(NH2)3BF4
Image sensing with multilayer nonlinear optical neural networks
Synthesis and characterization of linear/nonlinear optical properties of graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide-based zinc oxide nanocomposite
Nonlinear optics with structured light
Nonlinear processing with linear optics
📚 Books worth reading
An introduction to nonlinear opticsGeorge C. Baldwin · 1969
Nonlinear Fiber OpticsGovind Agrawal · 2001
Nonlinear OpticsPartha P. Banerjee · 2003
Applied nonlinear optics [by] Frits Zernike and John E. MidwinterFrits Zernike, John E. Midwinter · 1973
The Supercontinuum Laser SourceRobert R. Alfano · 1989
Introduction to Nonlinear OpticsGeoff New · 2011
Photons and Non-Linear OpticsD. N. Klyshko · 1988
Elements of quantum opticsPierre Meystre · 1990
Ranked by number of editions on Open Library, a rough measure of how lasting a book is.
🔗 Related topics
- Four-wave mixing Four-wave mixing (FWM) is an intermodulation phenomenon in nonlinear optics, whereby interactions between two or three wavelengths produce two or one new…
- Parametric process (optics) A parametric process is an optical process in which light interacts with matter in such a way as to leave the quantum state of the material unchanged.…
- Quasi-phase-matching Quasi-phase-matching is a technique in nonlinear optics which allows a positive net flow of energy from the pump frequency to the signal and idler frequencies…
- Spontaneous parametric down-conversion Spontaneous parametric down-conversion (also known as SPDC, parametric fluorescence or parametric scattering) is a nonlinear instant optical process that…
- Optical parametric amplifier An optical parametric amplifier, abbreviated OPA, is a laser light source that emits light of variable wavelengths by an optical parametric amplification…
- Optical parametric oscillator An optical parametric oscillator (OPO) is a parametric oscillator that oscillates at optical frequencies. It converts an input laser wave (called "pump")…
- Photomixing Photomixing is a process that uses two laser beams with slightly different optical frequencies to generate radiation at the difference frequency. Depending…
- Second-harmonic generation Second-harmonic generation (SHG), also known as frequency doubling, is the lowest-order wave-wave nonlinear interaction that occurs in various systems…