OPTICAL HARMONIC GENERATION AT A METAL SURFACE
Abstract
The memorandum presents a calculation of the classical interaction between laser light and a metal. Using a simple model for the statistics of the conduction electrons and their interaction with the surface, Maxwell's equations and the Boltzmann equation are solved self-consistently for the fields in the metal, yielding the usual Fresnel solutions plus correction terms which, at optical frequencies and above liquid helium temperatures, are shown to be of the order of one percent. When laser light of sufficient intensity is used, a nonlinear polarization is induced and waves of twice the fundamental frequency are produced. For the indicated model and for normal incidence, the second harmonic waves in the metal are calculated and the magnitude of the relative heating is computed. The method for solving the general problem for an arbitrary incidence angle is outlined and the ratio of the average energy flux reflected in the second harmonic to the incident flux is estimated. The relevance to a high-intensity laser experiment is considered and an error in the computation of the reflection coefficient as obtained by Jha is discussed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0668420
Entities
People
- R. F. Lutomirski
Organizations
- RAND Corporation