Abstract

Many technological advances can be realized from the development of coherent short wavelength sources, particularly in the fields of information display and storage. One approach to producing short wavelengths is to frequency double (existing and inexpensive) near-IR semiconductor lasers using a nonlinear optical process, second harmonic generation (SHG). Large intensities are necessary to drive such nonlinear interactions and these intensities can be achieved even with continuous wave lasers by spatially confining light to a waveguide. Waveguide geometry can be compact and may allow diffraction free propagation. Poled polymers are interesting materials for second harmonic generation because they have large nonresonant nonlinearities, low losses, and are easily processed.

© 1995 Optical Society of America