Optical second harmonic generation induced by picosecond terahertz pulses in centrosymmetric antiferromagnet NiO

Abstract

Optical second harmonic generation at the photon energy of 2ℏω = 2eV in the model centrosymmetric antiferromagnet NiO irradiated with picosecond terahertz pulses (0.4–2.5 THz) at room temperature is detected. The analysis of experimental results shows that induced optical second harmonic generation at the moment of the impact of a terahertz pulse arises through the electric dipole mechanism of the interaction of the electric field of a pump pulse with the electron subsystem of NiO. Temporal changes in optical second harmonic generation during 7 ps after the action of the pulse are also of an electric dipole origin and are determined by the effects of propagation of the terahertz pulse in a NiO platelet. Coherent oscillations of spins at the antiferromagnetic resonance frequency induced by the magnetic component of the terahertz pulse induce a relatively weak modulation of magnetic dipole optical second harmonic generation.