Fundamentals of Nonlinear Optics, 2nd Edition

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Introduction

1.1Historical Background

You are about to embark on a study of nonlinear optics. Before we delve into the mathematical framework behind nonlinear optics, it is instructive to briefly present an historical perspective. The field of nonlinear optics encompasses a rich diversity of phenomena whose applications are growing at a seemingly exponential rate. The modern rebirth of the field began with the proposal of a laser device in 1958 by Arthur L. Schawlow and Charles H. Townes and its first operational demonstration in 1960 by Theodore Maiman. The laser was conceived as a highly monochromatic and coherent light source with emission at “optical” wavelengths, that is, at wavelengths far shorter than maser wavelengths. Indeed, the ...