All-optical poling in polymers: dynamical aspects and perspectives

All-optical poling is based on the excitation of nonlinear molecules using dual-frequency beams. The process is optimized at a molecular level when the molecules are resonantly excited. From the point of view of frequency conversion applications, this raises the question of device transparency to the frequency-converted output. In order to treat this efficiency transparency tradeoff, we recently developed a simple model accounting for all the observable parameters. The model permits a good prediction of the poling dynamics. Its self-consistency permits the description of all the known all-optical poling schemes. In particular, analysis of the parameters of the model permits the identification of new strategies towards the realization of stable and transparent phase-matched materials for frequency conversion. Some preliminary experimental results are presented in this respect.