New electro-optic effect: sum-frequency generation from optically active liquids in the presence of a dc electric field.
We report the observation of sum-frequency signals that depend linearly on an applied electrostatic field and that change sign with the handedness of an optically active solute. This recently predicted chiral electro-optic effect exists in the electric-dipole approximation. The static electric field gives rise to an electric-field-induced sum-frequency signal (an achiral third-order process) that interferes with the chirality-specific sum-frequency at second order. The cross-terms linear in the electrostatic field constitute the effect and may be used to determine the absolute sign of second- and third-order nonlinear-optical susceptibilities in isotropic media.
Fischer
P
P
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Buckingham
A D
AD
Beckwitt
K
K
Wiersma
D S
DS
Wise
F W
FW
D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D009284:Naphthols / Q000737:chemistry; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D055672:Static Electricity; D013237:Stereoisomerism
D009284:Naphthols; C412332:1,1'-bi-2-naphthol