Abstract

The wide bandgap (≈ 9-10 eV) of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) provides its wide transmissive properties throughout much of the near ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR), making KDP an extremely useful nonlinear material. However, the optical properties of KDP under intense optical excitation in the UV is a relatively unexplored, yet important issue. We studied the interaction of intense picosecond and subpicosecond UV laser pulses (GW/cm²) with KDP. Our intention was to study the dynamics and spectroscopy of optically generated defect states that may arise. We further addressed a ten-year old problem concerning the low conversion efficiency in KDP of 532 nm photons to 266 nm photons at high pump intensities.

© 1992 Optical Society of America