Nonlinear Optical Materials and Phenomena

Dear Colleagues,

Nonlinear optics is one of the crucial constituents of modern photonics and enables technological progress in several fields including laser technology, optical signal processing or quantum optics. Inorganic and organic nonlinear crystals, polymers and composites in various forms are at the hearth of these developments. For instance, frequency conversion applications profit in large extent from several crystalline or domain engineered materials that enable generation of ultraviolet light by second- or third-harmonic generation, of THz radiation by optical rectification or difference frequency generation, or of intermediate wavelengths in the visible and infrared range by various parametric processes. In this context, besides new materials, also novel phase matching techniques and configurations are being explored to allow simultaneous generation of several wavelengths in a single device or to accommodate a larger spectral bandwidth for the conversion process. Besides those exhibiting the fast direct electronic nonlinearity as the above, several materials present an indirect optical nonlinearity that can be extremely strong and enables wave interaction already at very moderate power levels. These include photorefractive crystals, liquid crystals- and liquid crystal light valves-based devices, as well as different polymer-based compounds. These materials and the related processes are widely investigated and are useful for various applications in optical signal processing and adaptive holography or interferometry. They are also used for the realization of reconfigurable optical devices and the study of fundamental aspects of photonics.

This Special Issue will provide a forum for the most recent advances in nonlinear optical materials and their related phenomena. Submissions are expected in relation to the development and characterization of new nonlinear optical materials, both for high power and moderate power applications. We welcome also manuscripts reporting new concepts and devices based on such materials, as well as experimental and theoretical approaches for the optimization of the involved nonlinear optical processes.

Prof. Dr. Germano Montemezzani;

Prof. Dr. Marko Zgonik

Guest Editors