Research on Nonlinear Absorption Effect in KDP and 70%-DKDP Crystals

Nonlinear optical absorption effect in KDP and 70%-DKDP crystals, which were grown by the conventional temperature cooling method, was systematically studied using picosecond pulse laser excitation. Using open aperture Z-scan measurements, the dependence of nonlinear absorption effect on sample orientations (I, II, and z) as well as laser intensity was systematically measured at λ = 1064 and 532 nm. According to the experimental results, the nonlinear absorption effect at λ = 532 nm was confirmed, while at λ = 1064 nm no nonlinear absorption was observed for KDP and 70%-DKDP crystals. In addition, the optical absorption along Iand II-type affected by laser intensity was larger than that along the z-direction. The important nonlinear absorption coefficients β and χ I (esu) measured along different orientations were exhibited in detail at wavelengths of 1064 nm and 532 nm. The results indicate that nonlinear absorption coefficients increase first and then decrease with the increment of laser intensity for KDP and 70%-DKDP crystals.