Improved second-harmonic generation by selective Yb ion doping in a new nonlinear optical crystal YCa4O(BO3)(3)

    Authors

    W. K. Jang; Q. Ye; D. Hammons; J. Eichenholz; J. H. Lim; M. Richardson; B. H. T. Chai;E. W. Van Stryland

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    IEEE J. Quantum Electron.

    Keywords

    frequency conversion; nonlinear optical materials; nonlinear optics; rare-earth-doped materials; second-harmonic generation; YCa4O(BO3)(3).; EFFICIENT 2ND-HARMONIC GENERATION; LASER-RADIATION; FREQUENCY; KTP; CA4GDO(BO3)(3); CONVERSION; LIB3O5; GROWTH; KDP; ND; Engineering, Electrical & Electronic; Optics; Physics, Applied

    Abstract

    We describe experiments characterizing a new nonlinear optical crystal, YCa4O(BO3)(3) (YCOB). This crystal has a number of advantages over other commonly available nonlinear optical crystals, It has a higher nonlinear coefficient than KDP, can be fabricated to large sizes (similar to 3-in diameter, 8-in length), and has a high damage threshold. Moreover, this new nonlinear optical crystal is nonhygroscopic, has good optical quality and mechanical properties, allowing easy optical polishing. This crystal, YCa4O(BO3)(3), commonly termed YCOB, is one of a family of new nonlinear crystals, the oxyborates, that include RECa4O(BO3)(3) (RE=La3+, Lu3+, Y3+, Sm3+, Gd3+, Er3+, and Nd3+). In this paper, we also successfully demonstrate a technique for improving the nonlinear optical properties of this crystal. This technique, ion subsitution, has hetertofore had limited success with other crystal hosts. However, the inclusion of yttrium in YCOB provides the opportunity to exploit this technique. Yb3+, which has larger mass, but approximately the same atomic size as Y3+,can be substituted into the crystal structure without introducing stress and nonuniformities, A systematic investigation of the linear and nonlinear characteristics of several crystals doped with various levels of Yb demonstrate that selective substitution of Yb in YCa4O(BO3)(3) improves the second-harmonic conversion efficiency by increasing the optical nonlinearity.

    Journal Title

    Ieee Journal of Quantum Electronics

    Volume

    35

    Issue/Number

    12

    Publication Date

    1-1-1999

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    1826

    Last Page

    1833

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000084080800011

    ISSN

    0018-9197

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