Model for second-harmonic generation in glass optical fibers based on asymmetric photoelectron emission from defect...

We present a self-consistent calculation of anomalous second-harmonic generation in glass optical fibers. Quantum interference between multiphoton absorption processes leads to asymmetric photoelectric emission from defects, creating a spatially periodic space-charge electric field. The second harmonic is found to grow exponentially along the fiber, then saturate to a maximum value proportional to the square of the fundamental intensity. The predicted conversion efficiency is in reasonable agreement with experiments.