| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/K81898/01 |
| Title: |
DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL RANGE OF MATERIALS FOR BULK NON-LINEAR OPTICS APPLICATION |
| Principal Investigator: |
Ward, Dr RCC |
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| Department: |
Oxford Physics |
| Organisation: |
University of Oxford |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 January 1996 |
Ends: |
31 December 1997 |
Value (£): |
132,970
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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A blue light source (420-490 nm) is desired for many applications including optical storage, reprographics, medical uses, photo-lithography, military and commercial communications, and detection/ranging systems. Diode laser pumped, frequency up conversions devices with their compactness, high efficiency and low cost potential are very attractive sources. This collaborative proposal, involving five leading groups at Oxford, St Andrews, Warwick and DRA Fort Halstead, concerns the development of a new class of nonlinear optical crystals which have great potential for exploitation both in the above applications for blue wavelengths and in extending the spectral coverage of optical parametric oscillators. The crystals are analogues of KTP, which is an established leading NLO crystal with excellent properties and is the first choice for frequency doubling 1mm lasers (Nd:YAG) into the green. Its birefringence, however, is too small to allow phase matching for fundamental wavelengths below 994 nm. In preliminary experiments the Oxford/St Andrews groups have shown that it is possible to change the refractive indices of KTP by controlled doping with tantalum and niobium sufficiently to phase match below 920 nm. We now propose a definitive programme, with committed partial funding from DRA, to quantify the effects of a range of dopants and co-dopants on the linear and nonlinear properties of KTP and to refine the crystal growth technique at Oxford to produce device quality crystals of the optimum compositions. The specific objectives are to demonstrate novel frequency doubling and OPO devices based on these new materials at St Andrews, DRA Fort Halstead and Oxford. These groups will also undertake the initial NLO assessment of the range of doped test crystals grown at Oxford, while a comprehensive range of fundamental structural and optical measurements such as refractive indices will be carried out at Warwick. A second range of dopants, viz the rare earths such as Er and Nd, will also be studied with the objective of developing self-doubling laser crystals, for which there would also be enormous interest.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.ox.ac.uk |