Efficiency of non-linear optical device

[zhanhai]

It is said that a non-linear optical device may convert light into its higher order components. So what is the highest efficiency of the conversion? Can a non-linear device convert all input light into its higher order frequency?

Thanks.

 

[dlgoff]

The efficiency would depend on how well you make the device and I don't believe you could ever get 100% efficiency. There's lots of techniques/research on this. See this Google Scholar search: http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=optical+velocity+matching&btnG=&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5

 

[kith]

As dlgoff indicated, this is more a technological question instead of a question regarding fundamental quantum physics. Rüdiger Paschotta's Encyclopedia of Laser Physics and Technology is a nice resource for such questions. From its article onSecond Harmonic Generation, I got the following reference:

Optics Letters, Vol. 19, Issue 17, pp. 1325-1327 (1994)
R. Paschotta et al.
"We describe a frequency-doubling monolithic standing-wave resonator made of MgO: LiNbO3 with dielectric mirror coatings for impedance matching near 100 mW input power and near-optimum nonlinear coupling. An external conversion efficiency of 82% has been achieved."

This indicates that the efficiency can be made close to one under certain circumstances.

 

[zhanhai]

Thank dlgoff and kith. 82% is a good enough efficiency for my question.