High-efficiency terahertz generation in hydrogen-bonded organic nonlinear optical crystals

We demonstrate that the hydrogen-bonded organic nonlinear optical crystals COANP, OH1, and DANPH allow a highly efficient generation of a gap-free terahertz spectrum. COANP at the Ti:sapphire laser wavelength of 776 nm and OH1 at a wavelength of 1460 nm show a higher conversion efficiency than the respective benchmark materials ZnTe and DAST. An unprecedented photon conversion efficiency of 11 percent has been achieved in OH1. First results in DANPH indicate that this material holds an equal potential as OH1.