NONLINEAR CRYSTALS FOR GENERATING UV LIGHT

Generating coherent light in the ultraviolet (UV) is important for a broad range of applications including materials processing, medical surgery, diagnostics, scientific experiments, and many others. A practical way to generate UV light is by converting more easily obtained infrared or visible laser beams into the UV light using nonlinear optics--harmonic generation processes in crystals. This works well for producing light in nearly all of the UV A range (315 nm – 400 nm), the longest of the UV wavelengths. There are several crystals that can do this job.

Estimates of Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) Efficiency

Can the second harmonic generation be done efficiently with the right amount of peak power? In this article we will analyze what happens with lower peak power. For example, what if we run the same laser continuously (CW), so the average power might still be one Watt, but the peak power is now also now only one Watt. Can we efficiently generate the second harmonic of that CW beam? Read more and explore SGH with us…

ApplicationsWill GrossmanJune 14, 2023Second Harmonic Generation, High Power Lasers, Conversion EfficiencyComment

Profilometry - An Overview

Surface texture, also referred to as surface roughness, is an important parameter for many manufactured items. It can be measured on ground or machined surfaces and is especially significant for polished surfaces. The performance of optical elements and the processing from shaping, to grinding, to final polishing is largely influenced by surface roughness. The surface roughness at each step of fabrication is a result of the operation, the substrate properties, and the conditions of the machine to part interactions, with a little chemistry thrown in for good measure

Subsurface Damage

Optical fabrication operations such as grinding and polishing leave traces in the material below the surface being worked and while subsurface damage seems inevitable GAMDAN Optics has proven to minimize SSD. See the photos we took in our lab and the results.

Different Crystals for Different OPOs

This is the third in a series on OPOs from Gamdan Optics… With all the different types of OPOs, the choice of nonlinear crystal depends upon many factors: the desired beam powers, wavelengths, temporal profile (pulsed or CW), and other aspects of the OPO. The characteristics of all three beams (pump, signal, and idler) matter. The nonlinear crystal needs to transmit all the wavelengths. The crystal needs to provide a sufficiently strong nonlinear interaction between the beams—the crystal’s ability to support a strong nonlinear interaction is often characterized by a number, the nonlinear coupling coefficient.

Types of OPO’s

OPOs can use a wide range of laser pump beams. The pump lasers can be continuous or pulsed. Pulsed pump lasers might have almost any pulse length, ranging from Q-switched lasers to mode-locked lasers. The OPO will generally produce output with a temporal profile similar to the pump laser. CW pumps drive CW OPOs; pulsed pumps drive pulsed OPOs.

OPO Process and How They Work

An Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO) is a light source, and a feature of optical parametric oscillators is wavelength flexibility. OPOs can deliver wavelengths that may be difficult or impossible to achieve with lasers. Not only can an OPO be built to work at a specified wavelength, but also many OPOs can be tuned--the user can scan the wavelength. In a laser, stimulated emission from an energized laser medium amplifies light. The laser medium is usually energized by a separate electrical or optical power source. An OPO is different…

Walkoff Problems and Compensation

Walkoff is different in different situations and with different materials. Second harmonic generation (SHG) and third harmonic generation (THG) can be accomplished in LBO and with other materials. For example, we could use one LBO SHG crystal and one LBO THG crystal. If we have beams with high peak powers then we can use short crystals. However to boost the efficiency of the THG process, we often want to make the crystals much longer. Read on for more about walkoff problems and compensation.

ApplicationsWill GrossmanJanuary 16, 2023Walkoff, Second Harmonic Generation, LBO, EfficiencyComment

Introduction to Walkoff

Suppose we send two beams of light, each with a different unique color, through a transparent crystal. The light in each beam can also have different polarizations. Furthermore, suppose that these two beams are incident upon the crystal at the same location and going in the exact same direction. Once in the crystal, will they continue to go in the same direction—equivalently, are they still angularly aligned? In this article, we will take a closer look into dispersion and walkoff and why it matters.

ApplicationsWill GrossmanJanuary 10, 2023Walkoff, Dispersion Comments

GAMDAN Optics LBO Applications

GAMDAN’s proprietary UV-grade superpolishing process (having achieved record setting Laser Induced Damage Threshold (LIDT)), and high LIDT coatings enable you to get the most out of your laser design, whether you generate doubled or tripled frequency light.

Products, ApplicationsDennis GarrityOctober 28, 2022LBO

What Potassium Titanyl Phosphate (KTP) Is Used For

GAMDAN uses the highest quality hydrothermally grown KTP. It is characterized by low absorption, and resistance to gray tracking (photochromic damage) in high power applications. There is a much cheaper form of KTP which is not suited for high energy lasers. It is grown by the flux method. If you have a green laser pointer in your pocket, it most likely has a chip of flux grown KTP. Find out more about GAMDAN’s KTP offerings and why we have the most superior KTP available for your applications.

Products, ApplicationsDennis GarrityFebruary 4, 2021KTP

NONLINEAR OPTICAL CRYSTAL BLOG

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