Crystals and optics processing services

Co2+:MgAl2O4 Cospinel is a relatively new material for passive Q-switching in lasers emitting from 1.2 to 1.6 μm, in particular, for eye-safe 1.54 μm Er:glass laser, but also works at 1.44 μm and 1.34 μm wavelengths. Spinel is a hard, stable crystal that polishes well. Cobalt substitutes readily for magnesium in the Spinel host without the need for additional charge compensation ions. High absorption cross section (3.5×10-19 cm2) permits Q-switching of Er:glass laser without intracavity focusing both with flash-lamp and diode-laser pumping. Negligible excited-state absorption results in high contrast of Q-switch, i.e. the ratio of initial (small signal) to saturated absorption is higher than 10.

Cr4+:YAG (Y3Al5O12) crystal is ideal for passive Q-switch operation of Nd:YAG and other Nd3+ or Yb3+ doped laser crystals in the wavelength range of 900 nm to 1200 nm. Passive Q-switches or saturable absorbers provide high power laser pulses without electro-optic Q-switches, thereby reducing the package size and eliminating a high voltage power supply. A remarkable feature of Cr4+:YAG is the high damage threshold of >10 J/cm2@1064 nm, 10 ns. Its absorption band extends from 900 nm to 1200 nm and peaks around 1060 nm with a very large absorption cross-section.

HGO grows Ho:YLF laser crystals using Czochralski technology. Ho:YLF is a very attractive laser material, because the lifetime of the upper laser level is much longer ( ~ 14 ms) than in Ho:YAG and the emission cross sections are higher. Additionally the thermal lens in Ho:YLF is much weaker, which helps to generate diffraction limited beams even under intense end-pumping. The primary advantage of directly pumping the Ho 5I7 is that it does not have to depend on energy transfer, which lends itself to various radiative and non-radiative losses. Up-conversion losses that have deleterious effect in high-energy Q-switched lasers are eliminated.

Potassium Titanyl Phosphate (KTiOPO4 or KTP) is widely used in both commercial and military lasers including laboratory and medical systems, range-finders, lidar, optical communication and industrial systems.

Potassium Gadolinium Tungstate (KGd(WO₄)₂) crystal is an excellent stimulated Raman laser crystal with characteristics such as a wide light transmission range, good thermal conductivity, high damage threshold, large Raman shift coefficient, and high Raman gain. It can maintain high conversion efficiency and beam quality during the Raman frequency conversion process. The KGW crystal can withstand high pump power and is suitable for pump lights of various wavelengths, making it widely used in Raman lasers, laser frequency conversion, medical imaging, photodynamic therapy, environmental monitoring, spectroscopy research, material processing, and other fields.

Ti:Sapphire crystal is the most widely used tunable solid-state laser material combining the supreme physical and optical properties with the extremely broad lasing range. Its lasing bandwidth can support pulses < 10fs making it the crystal of choice for femtosecond mode-locked oscillators and amplifiers. The absorption band of Ti:Sapphire centers at ~ 490 nm so it may be conveniently pumped by various laser sources such as argon ion lasers or frequency doubled Nd:YAG, Nd:YLF, Nd:YVO4 lasers at ~530nm. Laser designers are using Ti:sapphire to generate femtosecond pulses to create new industrial tools. A properly delivered femtosecond laser pulse interacts within the target leaving the surrounding area undisturbed. Newly developed femtosecond pulsed lasers micro-machine complex fine structures in glass, metal and other materials. Active waveguides can be written below the surface, integrating optical devices within the body of a substrate. Defects in photomasks can be repaired without disturbing neighbouring patterns. And it is now possible to achieve cellular resolution in vivo for medical diagnosis with femtosecond pulse lasers.

HGO grows Pr:YLF laser crystals using Czochralski technology. Pr3+:YLF has been found as promising laser material for producing visible lasers directly and UV lasers through intracavity second-harmonic generation. Very few laser materials have the necessary properties for the realization of lasing in the visible spectral range. Trivalent praseodymium (Pr3+) is known to be an interesting laser ion for use with solid-state lasers in the visible spectral range because of its energy levels scheme, providing several transitions in the red (640 nm, 3P0 to 3F2), orange (607 nm, 3P0 to 3H6), green (523 nm, 3P0 to 3H5), and dark red (720 nm, 3P0 3F3+3F4) spectral regions.

Penta Prisms are used to define right angles in optical systems. Penta Prisms, which provide right handed images,feature a ray deviation of 90°. Penta Prisms are five-sided prisms are unaffected by slight movements. HG OPTRONICS offers a variety of Penta Prisms for optimal performance in the Ultraviolet (UV), Visible, or Infrared (IR) spectrums.