"Strange optical processes (frequency doubling, holographic effects) occur when intense laser light interacts with certain organic and inorganic compounds;these effects are generically referred to as nonlinear optical phenomena. Many of these unusual phenomena are tremendously important in emerging high-technology areas such as erasable optical information storage, optical computing, and optical communication. By synthesizing and studying new compounds, we seek to 1) understand the molecular and bulk properties that govern nonlinear optical response, and 2) develop more efficient nonlinear optical materials. Research in this area involves elements of molecular design, synthesis, molecular orbital calculations, laser spectroscopy, and materials chemistry." My Cousin Bob is pretty smart, don't ya think?