The quadrature conversion scheme is a method of generating the second harmonic. The scheme, which uses two crystals in series, has several advantages over single-crystal or other two crystal schemes. The most important is that it is capable of high conversion efficiency over a large dynamic range of drive intensity and detuning angle.

The quadrature conversion scheme is a method of generating the second harmonic. The scheme, which uses two crystals in series, has several advantages over single-crystal or other two crystal schemes. The most important is that it is capable of high conversion efficiency over a large dynamic range of drive intensity and detuning angle. Consider a pair of KDP crystals cut for type-II phase matching. In the quadrature scheme, the optic axes of the crystals are arranged so that the plans containing the direction of the laser beam and their optic axes (the kz planes) are mutually perpendicular. This arrangement has two important properties. First, in type-II phase matching, the incident wave is polarized at 45 deg to the kz plane of the crystal. This, in the quadrature scheme, if the incident wave is correctly polarized for efficient conversion in the first crystal, it is also correctly polarized for efficient conversion in the second crystal. Both crystals can therefore convert efficiently.