Generation of ultrashort second-harmonic pulses by compressing the Cerenkov output.

Ultrashort optical second-harmonic pulses based on a traditional phase-matched Cerenkov second-harmonic generation scheme, with an additional prism to equalize the arrival time, are proposed. Proton-exchanged KTP, LiNbO(3) waveguides, and several prism materials are considered in the evaluation. There is no constraint on crystal length, making high efficiency possible as well as preserving an ultrashort pulse width. The proposed approach may be a practical and efficient way to achieve convenient ultrashort harmonic pulses.