The dependence of the nonlinear optical absorption coefficients on the intensity and polarization of pulsed laser radiation at 355 nm was investigated for lithium triborate (LBO) crystals using the piezoelectric resonance laser calorimetry.
A novel method of acoustic resonance laser calorimetry (ARLC) for the determination of low optical absorption coefficients of crystals and glasses is introduced. It is based on measurements of the kinetics of the equivalent temperature of the sample irradiated by the pulse laser radiation. The equivalent temperature of the sample is directly obtained by measuring the frequency changes of its temperature-calibrated acoustic resonances excited by the laser radiation with a corresponding pulse repetition rate. In contrast to the conventional resonant photoacoustic spectroscopy, where the resonance is used for the enhancement of the registered signal, in ARLC, the laser-excited acoustic resonance of the sample acts as a high-sensitivity temperature probe for measurements of its heating kinetics. The ARLC approach was verified by measuring the optical absorption coefficient of the potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystal (
α
=
4.2
⋅
1
0
−
2
c
m
−
1
) at 1064 nm wavelength.
Phase-matching temperature tuning curves and longitudinal temperature distribution of periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystal were measured in the process of second-harmonic generation (SHG) of 1070 nm pump wavelength using tiny transparent piezoelectric crystals as the temperature sensors. The temperatures of the crystal sensors placed along the PPLN length were determined directly by measuring the induced frequency shifts of their piezoelectric resonances, which were excited in a noncontact manner by a probe radio-frequency electric field. Such temperature sensors do not suffer additional heating conditioned by absorption of scattered radiation and also do not have any contact wires. Due to the high
Q
factors of piezoelectric resonances, the measurement accuracy of 0.05°C was achieved for a local determination of PPLN surface temperature during SHG. The self-consistent theoretical model that describes the SHG process in the presence of induced nonuniform temperature distribution of the nonlinear-optical crystal is introduced.
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