Acousto-optic tunable second harmonic generation in periodically poled LiNbO_3

Acousto-optic (AO) tunable second harmonic generation (SHG) was proposed in periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN). The acoustic wave could either be induced from an external transducer or self-generated in PPLN driving with a cross-field radio frequency field. The reciprocal vector of PPLN compensates the SHG wave-vector mismatch when quasi-phase- matching (QPM) condition is satisfied, while phonons with suitable frequencies may affect it by scattering photons to different polarization state. The QPM SHG and AO polarization rotation are coupled together. Second harmonic waves' intensities, polarization states and even phases thus could be manipulated instantly through AO interaction.