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Growth and Properties of Mid-infrared Chalcogenide Crystals

Shanpeng Wang ,  Xixia Zhang ,  Xiang Zhang ,  Huapeng Ruan ,  Chunlong Li ,  Zeliang Gao ,  Chunming Dong ,  Xutang Tao 

State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
Institue of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China

Abstract

  Over the past few decades, widely tunable coherent mid-infrared laser sources in the range of 3-20 μm, specially in band 3-5 μm and 8-14 μm of three atmospheric transparent windows, have become research focus of infrared (IR) laser technology[1]. Frequency conversion by an infrared nonlinear optical (NLO) crystal is an effective way of producing coherent mid-infrared light.

  Lithium containing chalcogenide (such as LiInS2, LiInSe2 LiGa3Te5) are promising candidates for mid-IR optical frequency conversion. LiInS2 has wide transparency range (0.35~12.5μm), high nonlinear coefficient and is phase matchable over a large wavelength range. Compared to other infrared nonlinear crystals, such as silver thiogallate (AgGaS2) [2] and zinc germanium phosphide (ZnGeP2) [3], LiInS2 displays a nearly isotropic thermal expansion behavior and a 5-times-larger thermal conductivity. Owing to its wider band gap and lower absorptions in the range of near infrared, LiInS2 crystals can be pumped by Nd: YAG laser. LISe is one of these few nonoxide nonlinear crystals whose band-gap (2.86 eV) and transparency allow operation in the nanosecond optical parametric above 4 μm without TPA for a pump wavelength of 1064 nm. LiGa3Te5 crystallizes in the noncentrosymmetrical system, space group R32. The transmission of LGT crystal is above a level 40% from 3.5 to 18 μm, and the cut-off edges at short and long wavelength are at 0.9 and 25 μm, respectively.

  In this paper, we report the growth and properties of large-sized Lithium containing chalcogenide crystals. The crystals were grown by the modified Bridgman method. The characterizations such as XRD, high resolution X-ray diffractometor, the thermal properties, damage threshold and refractive index of the grown crystals are also discussed.

 References:

[1] Fossier, S.; Salaun, S.; Mangin, J.; Bidault, O.; Thenot, I.; Zondy,J. J.; Chen, W. D.; Rotermund, F.; Petrov, V.; Petrov, P.; Henningsen,J.; Yelisseyev, A.; Isaenko, L.; Lobanov, S.; Balachninaite, O.; Slekys, G.; Sirutkaitis, V. J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 2004, 21, 1981.

[2] G.A.Verozubova, A.I.Gribenyukov, V.V. Korotkova, O. Semchinova, D. Uffmann, J. Crystal Growth, 2000, 213, 334.

[3] D.Lee, T.Kaing, J.-J. Zondy, Appl. Phys. B, 1998, 67, 1259.

 

 

Auxiliary resources (full texts, presentations, posters, etc.)
  1. PRESENTATION: Growth and Properties of Mid-infrared Chalcogenide Crystals, Microsoft Office Document, 0MB
 

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Related papers

Presentation: Oral at 17th International Conference on Crystal Growth and Epitaxy - ICCGE-17, General Session 2, by Shanpeng Wang
See On-line Journal of 17th International Conference on Crystal Growth and Epitaxy - ICCGE-17

Submitted: 2013-03-21 15:23
Revised:   2013-04-13 20:21