Spatial subharmonic generation of orthogonally polarized light waves in BaTiO(3) by phase-matched nonlinear mixing

The development of a spatial subharmonic, i.e., of a light wave propagating at the bisector of two pump waves, with orthogonal polarizations incident upon a BaTiO(3) crystal in a plane normal to the optical axis is observed and studied. Parametric amplification of a seed wave meeting the phase-matching condition in the presence of two pump waves is shown to be the main reason for subharmonic generation in this crystal.