No abstract

Abstract. The phase-matched coliinear third harmonic generation of picosecond laser pulses in a 0.0825 molar hexafluoroisopropanol solution of a pyrimidonecarbocyanine dye is studied. The fundamental pulses are generated in a passively mode-locked Nd-phosphate glass laser. The saturation of third harmonic generation at high intensities is investigated. The influences of two-photon absorption, excited-state absorption, and amplified spontaneous emission are discussed. For input peak intensities above 10 ll W/cm 2 a third harmonic energy conversion of about 2 x 10~4 is achieved.