Exploring the equivalence of causality-based and quantum mechanics-based sum rules for harmonic generation in nonlinear optical materials

The Kramers-Kronig relations and various oscillator strength sum rules represent strong constraints on the physical response of materials. In this work, taking inspiration from the well-established equivalence between f -sum rules and Thomas-Reiche-Kuhn sum rules in linear optics, we explore the connection between causality-based and quantum-mechanics-based sum rules in the context of nonlinear optical processes. Specifically, by considering the sum-over-states expression for the second harmonic generation susceptibility, we deduce a new representation basis for the imaginary part of this susceptibility and we use it to derive, from causality-based integral sum rules, a new set of discrete sum rules that the transition dipole moments must satisfy. As in the case of the Thomas-Reiche-Kuhn sum rules, we also show that these results can alternatively be derived through an independent quantum mechanical analysis. Finally, we consider the implications of the derived sum rules for the second-harmonic-generation susceptibility of two- and three-level systems and, more broadly, we discuss the possible significance and challenges of using these results for the goal of identifying fundamental limits to the response of nonlinear optical materials.