Second-harmonic generation of light in ferroelectric polymer films with a spatially nonuniform distribution of polarization

A spatial distribution of the spontaneous polarization P/sub s/(z) results in a similar spatial distribution of the nonlinear optical coefficients d/sub 31/(z), d/sub 32/(z), and d/sub 33/(z). Large errors in the determination of the coherence length and of the nonlinear optical coefficients can occur if the distribution of the polarization is not taken into account. A proper analysis of second-harmonic data thus requires in any case the knowledge of the polarization distribution, which can be measured by a piezo- and a pyroelectric technique. The optical transfer matrix formalism further allows the study of quasi-phase-matching techniques, optical resonance enhancement techniques for the fundamental or for the harmonic beams and planar waveguide structures.>