Solid solution crystals of Tl.sub.3 AsSe.sub.3 and Tl.sub.3 AsS.sub.3 for high efficiency optical applications
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsNarsingh B. Singh, Tom Henningsen, James P. McHugh, Emmanuel P. Supertzi, Richard P. Storrick, Robert Mazelsky
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Abstract
Crystals formed of a solid-solution of Tl.sub.3 AsSe.sub.3 and Tl.sub.1 AsS.sub.3 provide very good materials for the nonlinear optical conversion efficiency. The crystals are useful in nonlinear optical devices such as harmonic generators and optical parametric oscillators, and in linear applications such as acousto-optical devices. The method of preparing such crystals is also disclosed.
Claims20
A solid-solution crystal comprised of Tl.sub.3 AsSe.sub.3 and Tl.sub.3 AsS.sub.3.
An optical nonlinear device comprised of:
- a. a crystal comprised of a solid solution of both Tl.sub.3 AsSe.sub.3 and Tl.sub.3 AsS.sub.3 ;
- b. means for generating a fundamental ray of coherent light;
- and
- c. means for directing the fundamental ray of coherent light at one of the polished faces of the crystal at an angle to c-axis of the crystal at which the ray and the harmonic are phase matched.
An optical parametric oscillator for generating a signal ray and an idler ray from a fundamental ray comprising:
- a. a crystal comprised of a solid solution of Tl.sub.3 AsSe.sub.3 and Tl.sub.3 AsS.sub.3 ;
- b. means for generating a fundamental ray of coherent light;
- c. means for directing the fundamental ray at one of the polished faces of the crystal;
- and
- d. two parallel opposing mirrors M1 and M2, an optical axis of which is parallel to the fundamental ray within the crystal, M1 positioned between the means for generating the fundamental ray and the crystal and being transparent to the fundamental ray and M2 being positioned at the opposite end of the crystal, one of the mirrors being reflective at the wavelength of the signal ray and the other mirror being partially reflective at the wavelength of the signal ray.
A method of preparing a crystal having nonlinear optical properties, said method comprising the steps of:
- mixing stoichiometric compositions of Tl.sub.3 AsSe.sub.3 and Tl.sub.3 AsS.sub.3 to form a first mixture;
- heating said first mixture to ensure homogeneous mixing;
- directionally solidifying an ingot from said first mixture within a temperature gradient.
A method of modulating light having a wavelength of about 1.3 to 17 .mu.m comprising:
- generating a sound wave in a solid-solution crystal comprised of Tl.sub.3 AsSe.sub.3 and Tl.sub.3 AsS.sub.3 having at least one pair of parallel optical faces, and directing light through said faces.
An acousto-optical system comprising:
- a solid-solution crystal comprised of Tl.sub.3 AsSe.sub.3 and Tl.sub.3 AsS.sub.3 having at least one pair of optical faces;
- means for generating a sound wave in said crystal;
- a source of light having a wavelength of about 0.6 to 9.6 .mu.m directed through said faces;
- and
- means for detecting at least a portion of said light after it passes through said crystal.
An acoustic delay line comprising:
- a solid-solution crystal comprised of Tl.sub.3 AsSe.sub.3 and Tl.sub.3 AsS.sub.3 ;
- means for generating sound waves in said crystal;
- and
- means for detecting sound waves after they have traversed said crystal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.