Second harmonic generation efficiency affected by radiation force of a high-energy laser beam through stress within a mounted potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystal

Influence of radiation force of a high-energy laser beam on the second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency through stress within a mounted potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystal is studied, as well as an active method of improving the SHG efficiency by controlling the stress is proposed. At first, the model for studying the influence of the radiation force on the SHG efficiency is established, where the radiation force is theoretically analyzed, the stress caused by the radiation force is theoretically analyzed and numerically calculated using the finite-element method, and the influence of the stress on the SHG efficiency is theoretically analyzed. Then, a method of improving the SHG efficiency by controlling the stress through adjusting the structural parameters of the mounting set of the KDP crystal is examined. It demonstrates that the radiation force causes stress within the KDP crystal and further militates against the SHG efficiency; however, the SHG efficiency could be improved by controlling the stress through adjusting the structural parameters of the mounting set of the KDP crystal. (C) 2018 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)