Origin of nonlinear optical susceptibility in SiC nanocrystallites

Interest in SiC nanopowders has been growing due to the possibilities for using their nonlinear optical properties. The objective of the present work was to investigate these properties through PISHG (photoinduced second harmonic generation) and photo transparency measurements. The relation between structural parameters, such as hexagonality, and external forcing signals, such as pressure, PISHG, and photo transparency, was established. The high sensitivity of SHG to pressure suggests that the material investigated may be suitable for application in contactless pressure measurements.