Optically active second-harmonic generation from a uniaxial fluid medium.

ABSTRACT

We have shown that optically active second-harmonic generation is allowed in a uniaxial fluid medium. A homeotropically aligned chiral smectic-A liquid crystal was used as an example. Phase matching was achievable by angle tuning. Chiral nonlinear susceptibility for the liquid crystal was deduced. The signal dropped precipitously as the sample underwent the transition from smectic-A to isotropic.