Optically modified second harmonic generation in silicon oxynitride thin films via local layer heating.

Strong second harmonic generation (SHG) in silicon nitride has been extensively studied-among others, in terms of laser-induced SHG enhancement in SiN waveguides. This enhancement has been ascribed to the all-optical poling induced by the coherent photogalvanic effect. Yet, an analogous process for SiN thin films has not been reported. Our article reports on the observation of laser-induced threefold SHG enhancement in SiN thin films. The observed enhancement has many features similar to all-optical poling, such as highly nonlinear power dependence, cumulative effect, or connection to the SiN-Si interface. However, identical experiments for low-oxygen silicon oxynitride thin films lead to complex behavior, including laser-induced SHG reduction. Following a thorough experimental study, including the effects of repetition rate or pulse length, the observed results were ascribed to heat-induced SHG variation. In addition to revealing a new mechanism of laser-induced SHG variation, our results also provide a means to identify this mechanism.