Fractional second-harmonic Talbot effect.

We demonstrate the fractional second-harmonic (SH) Talbot effect in a hexagonally poled LiTaO3 crystal. We carefully record the SH Talbot images at 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 Talbot lengths, which are well matched with the simulated images by using the modified Rayleigh-Sommerfeld diffraction formula. A simplified model with a hexagonal array is adopted in the simulations. Also, we use a modified reciprocal vector theory to analytically explain the evolution of the SH array at fractional Talbot lengths. Our results show that the images are sensitive to the duty circle and the background of the array.