Open AccessEye safety implications of high harmonic generation in zinc selenide
Author(s) -
Christopher B. Marble,
Sean P. O’Connor,
Dawson T. Nodurft,
Andrew W. Wharmby,
Vladislav V. Yakovlev
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.27.002828
Subject(s) - zinc selenide , optics , high harmonic generation , materials science , optoelectronics , wavelength , second harmonic generation , infrared , sum frequency generation , nonlinear optics , energy conversion efficiency , laser , physics
Polycrystalline zinc selenide (ZnSe) has been the subject of many nonlinear optics studies for wavelengths under 4.0 µm including sum/difference frequency generation, harmonic generation, and filamentation. In this report, the conversion efficiency of high harmonic generation (HHG) in ZnSe is quantified for mid-infrared wavelengths ranging from 2.7 µm to 8.0 µm. By increasing the fundamental wavelength, we demonstrate that HHG in thick ZnSe targets is limited by the band gap. The high conversion efficiency of mid-infrared to near-infrared light in ZnSe raises concerns of a nonlinear retinal hazard. We contrast the HHG behavior of ZnSe against the observed harmonic generation of calcium fluoride, BK7, and fused silica over the same wavelengths.