WAVELENGTH CONVERSION CRYSTAL, ITS PRODUCTION, AND LASER DEVICE USING THE CRYSTAL

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable wavelength conversion up to an ultraviolet region and to realize superior properties to those of a BBO (β-BaB2O4) crystal with respect to wavelength conversion in a high-power region by using as the crystal, a wavelength conversion crystal having a specified chemical composition. SOLUTION: This crystal having a chemical composition represented by the formula LiRbB4O7 is used as a wavelength conversion crystal and is used in the form of a single crystal in a laser device shown in the figure as a nonlinear optical material. In this laser device, when an LiRbB4O7 single crystal 12 placed on an optical path of a laser medium 11 is irradiated with a laser beam of the beam of the fundamental wavelength of the laser medium 11, the laser beam incident on the LiRbB4O7 single crystal 12 irradiated is subjected to wavelength conversion in the LiRBb4O7 single crystal 12 to allow a higher harmonic wave to exit from the single crystal 12. Thus, the LiRbB4O7 single crystal 12 can be utilized as a short wavelength light source. As the laser medium 11, a dye laser, solid laser, semiconductor laser, or the like, is used.