Crystal Growth and Optical Properties of AgGaS 2 and AgGaSe 2
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Crystal Growth and Optical Properties of AgGaS2 and AgGaSe2
Historical Background Nonlinear optics was reborn in 1961 with the application of the laser to this field of inquiry. Many three-wave interactions in solids could now be studied experimentally. These NLO phenomena have great potential in many applications. For instance OPOs provide very broad spectral-tuning ranges, solid-state convenience and reliability, and highpower pulse capability. Optical parametric oscillators were first reported11 in the late 1960s and early 1970s in a variety of crystals, including AgGaSe2.12 Device development past the laboratory stage seemed to be very difficult and was limited by the lack of suitable high-quality crystals, especially in the ir region. This slow progress reflects the inherent difficulties of single-crystal development, especially those involving multicomponent systems.
Gary C. Catella and David Burlage
Introduction Silver gallium sulfide (AgGaS2), silver gallium selenide (AgGaSe2),1 and silver gallium i n d i u m selenide 2 (AgGavIn(i A)Se2) are unique nonlinear crystals suitable for a wide range of three-wave mixing applications.3 They combine strong nonlinear coupling with phase matching across a wide (0.512.5 μm) transmission range. These properties provide the basis for CO 2 laser harmonic-generator (HG), visible (VIS), and near-infrared (NIR) pumped opticalparametric-oscillator (OPO) and sumand difference-frequency-generator (SFG/ DFG) systems for producing tunable laser radiation from approximately 0.65 to 12 (im.4"1 A wide range of pump lasers is now available, including diode lasers capable of direct pumping of AgGaS2 and efficient diode-pumped lasers7 for pumping any of these crystals. Significant progress in material characteristics and nonlinear optical (NLO) performance has been accomplished. Bulk absorption for production-quality AgGaS2 is ~0.010.02 cm ' across the 0.8-9-^m region. Exceptional crystals of AgGaS2 have absorption
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