Stochastic quasi-phase matching in nonlinear-optical crystals with an irregular domain structure

A theory of the interaction between light waves in polydomain crystals with a random variation in the domain thickness described by a random telegraph process is developed. The second harmonic generation and parametric amplification upon high-frequency pumping are considered. It is found that the maximum efficiency of nonlinear conversion is achieved when the phase mismatch between the interacting waves is equal to the doubled spatial frequency at which the nonlinearity sign is changed (the condition of stochastic quasi-phase matching). (nonlinear optical phenomena)