Second harmonic generation from ZnO films and nanostructures

Zinc oxide ZnO is a n-type semiconductor having a wide direct band gap (3.37 eV) as well as a non-centrosymmetric crystal structure resulting from hexagonal wurtzite phase. Its wide transparency range along with its second order nonlinear optical properties make it a promising material for efficient second harmonic generation processes and nonlinear optical applications in general. In this review, we present an extensive analysis of second harmonic generation from ZnO films and nanostructures. The literature survey on ZnO films will include some significant features affecting second harmonic generation efficiency, as crystalline structure, film thickness, surface contributes, and doping. In a different section, the most prominent challenges in harmonic generation from ZnO nanostructures are discussed, including ZnO nanowires, nanorods, and nanocrystals, to name a few. Similarly, the most relevant works regarding third harmonic generation from ZnO films and nanostructures are separately addressed. Finally, the conclusion part summarizes the current standing of published values for the nonlinear optical coefficients and for ZnO films and nanostructures, respectively. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.