LITHIUM NIOBATE SINGLE CRYSTAL OR LITHIUM TANTALATE SINGLE CRYSTAL WITH IMPROVED OPTICAL DAMAGE CHARACTERISTIC, AND OPTICAL ELEMENT USING THE SAME

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lithium niobate single crystal and a lithium tantalite single crystal, having high OPTICAL DAMAGE resistance, and to provide an optical element using the single crystal. SOLUTION: A lithium niobate single crystal or a lithium tantalite single crystal having a substantially stoichiometric composition contains at least one element selected from a group consisting of Er, Tm, Yb and Lu by 0.3-3.0 mol%. Otherwise, the single crystal may contain the above element by 0.4-1.0 mol%. An optical element is manufactured by using the above single crystal. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT