Chemically reduced lithium compound-based Q-switch

摘要

A method for manufacturing Q-switches includes coating a first Z-surface and second Z-surface of an oriented slab of a chemically reducible electro-optic lithium compound crystal (LC slab) with a condensed material including an active chemical operable once activated to chemically reduce the LC. The LC slab with condensed material thereon is heated in a non-oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature above an activating temperature of the condensed material. The LC slab is cooled to a temperature below a quenching temperature below which re-oxidization of the LN slab is inhibited. A finishing process is performed including cutting the LC slab of LC into a plurality of Q-switch devices each having a chemically reduced LC substrate, and forming metal electrodes on opposing sides of the LC substrates that are orthogonal to the Z-surfaces, and coating the Z-surfaces with an antireflective (AR) coating material.

主权项

1. A Q-switch device, comprising:
a chemically reducible electro-optic lithium compound crystal (LC) substrate including a chemically reduced first Z-surface and a chemically reduced second Z-surface opposite said first Z-surface; metal electrodes on opposing sides of said LC substrate orthogonal to said first Z-surface and said second Z-surface, and an antireflective (AR) coating material on said first Z-surface and said second Z-surface, wherein said first Z-surface and said second Z-surface includes a surface layer under said AR coating material that is chemically reduced to an extent to provide a 25° C. electrical conductivity that is at least ten thousand times (104) greater than an intrinsic electrical conductivity of said LC substrate, and wherein said Q-switch device has a charge decay time constant shorter than 1 hour at −20° C.