
ix
Foreword
e recent growth of harmonic generation imaging eld has been phenomenal. Harmonic generation
imaging that typically includes both second- and third-order processes is an important branch of non-
linear optics and has a long illustrious history. Similar to most other nonlinear optical contrast mecha-
nisms, the theoretical prediction of harmonic generation can be traced back to the theoretical work of
Dr.Maria Göppert-Mayer in 1930s [1]. e experimental demonstration of second-harmonic generation
requires high excitation light peak power and that became possible with the invention of the laser in the
1960s. Franken and coworkers r ...