Abstract

Nonlinear optical effects have been expected to have great potential for future optical systems. Research has mainly focused on two kinds of nonlinear effects; the third-order nonlinear effect where photo-induced refractive index-change can be applied to attain high-speed optical switches, and the second-order nonlinear effect which should be useful in wavelength conversion devices. Their main research subject is the improvement of nonlinear efficiency. For that purpose, the following three conditions need to be satisfied, that is, (1) large nonlinear coefficient, (2) high light intensity confinement, and (3) long interaction length.

© 1995 Optical Society of America