Growth of new quaternary nonlinear optical crystals for 1-micron-pumped mid-IR generation

Peter G. Schunemann

doi:10.1117/12.644877

10 February 2006 Growth of new quaternary nonlinear optical crystals for 1-micron-pumped mid-IR generation

Peter G. Schunemann

Proceedings Volume 6103, Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials, Devices, and Applications V; 610303 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.644877
Event: Lasers and Applications in Science and Engineering, 2006, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

Crystal growth of two new quaternary crystals, AgGaGeS₄ and AgGaGe₅Se₁₂ , was performed in order to evaluate the usefulness of these materials for nonlinear optical frequency conversion of one-micron solid state lasers into the mid-infrared spectral region beyond 4 microns. Each compound was synthesized by vapor transport in sealed ampoules from high purity elemental starting materials, and crystals were grown by the gradient freeze technique in horizontal transparent furnaces. AgGaGe₅Se₁₂ exhibited incongruent melting behavior, and small optical samples extracted from an as-grown polycrystalline boule had high scattering losses. AgGaGeS₄ crystal growth proved to be far more favorable, resulting in a crack-free single crystal measuring 19mm in diameter and >80mm in length with as-grown 2.05-μm absorption losses < 0.05 cm^-1. The measured laser damage threshold of an uncoated AgGaGeS₄ crystal at 2.05μm was 1.1 J/cm², and room-temperature measurements of thermal diffusivity, heat capacity, and thermal conductivity yielded values of 0.224 mm²/s, 0.448 J/g/K, and 0.399 W/mK respectively for the sulfide. The growth and properties of AgGaGeS₄, despite being a quaternary compound with complex phase equilibria, appear indeed to be promising for shifting Nd-laser output directly into the mid-IR.

Citation Download Citation

Peter G. Schunemann "Growth of new quaternary nonlinear optical crystals for 1-micron-pumped mid-IR generation", Proc. SPIE 6103, Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials, Devices, and Applications V, 610303 (10 February 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.644877

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