Nonlinear Optical Properties from Engineered 2D Materials

Two-dimensional (2D) materials with atomic thickness, tunable light-matter interaction, and significant nonlinear susceptibility are emerging as potential candidates for new-generation optoelectronic devices. In this review, we briefly cover the recent research development of typical nonlinear optic (NLO) processes including second harmonic generation (SHG), third harmonic generation (THG), as well as two-photon photoluminescence (2PPL) of 2D materials. Nonlinear light-matter interaction in atomically thin 2D materials is important for both fundamental research and future optoelectronic devices. The NLO performance of 2D materials can be greatly modulated with methods such as carrier injection tuning, strain tuning, artificially stacking, as well as plasmonic resonant enhancement. This review will discuss various nonlinear optical processes and corresponding tuning methods and propose its potential NLO application of 2D materials.