Resonant third-harmonic generation in a low-loss medium

The linear and nonlinear susceptibilities for resonant third-harmonic generation in an Mg-Kr system using the 3s2-3s 3d two-photon resonance at 431 nm are presented. The Mg-Kr system is shown to be a suitable low-loss medium because of its small one-photon and two-photon absorption cross section. A detailed quantitative analysis up to a power conversion efficiency of 1.2 . 10-4was carried out. The phase-matching curves and the intensity dependence are in excellent agreement with a nonstationary modification of the theory of resonant third-harmonic generation in high density, phase-matched systems recently presented by Puell et al. [4].