Features of nonlinear BBO (ẞ-BaB2O4) crystal includes wide transparency and wide phase matching ranges, large non-linear coefficient, high damage threshold and excellent optical homogeneity. Therefore, BBO provides an attractive solution for various non-linear optical applications like OPO, OPA, OPCPA and other. As a result of large thermal acceptance bandwidth, high damage threshold and small absorption BBO well suits for frequency conversion of high peak or average power laser radiation. Large spectral transmission range as well as phase matching, especially in UV range, makes BBO perfectly suitable for frequency doubling of Dye, Arion and Copper vapour laser radiation, effective cascade harmonic generation (Frequency doublers, triplers, parametric amplifiers and wave mixers) of wide spread Nd:YAG as well as of Ti:Sapphire and Alexandrite laser radiation. Both Type 1 (oo-e) and Type 2 (eo-e) phase-matching angles can be obtained, increasing the number of advantages for different applications.
Features:
- Broad transparency range from 190 nm to 2.5 µm
- High optical homogeneity
- Relatively large effective SHG coefficient (about six times that of KDP)
- 410 nm – 2.5 µm phase matching range for Type I SHG
- 530 nm – 2.5 µm phase matching range for Type II SHG
Comparison of bulk damage threshold (@1064 nm, 1.3 ns)
| Crystals | Energy fluence (J/cm²) | Power density (GW/cm²) |
|---|
| KTP | 6.0 | 4.6 |
| KDP | 10.9 | 8.4 |
| BBO | 12.9 | 9.9 |
| LBO | 24.6 | 18.9 |
Applications:
- Harmonic generation of high peak power pulsed Nd doped, Ti:Sapphire, Neodymium-doped gain material lasers, frequency doubling of dye and Alexandrite lasers
- 5HG generation of Nd:YAG lasers at 213 nm.
- Widely tunable OPO, OPA, OPCPA of both Type I and Type II phase matching
Application notes:
- Thin crystals for ultrafast application
Ultrathin crystals are desired for all frequency conversions below 10 fs pulses. However, due to mechanical properties of BBO, thinner than 50 µm free-standing pieces are not available. Altechna offers a configuration where ultrathin (starting from 5 µm) BBO crystal is optically contacted on thin fused silica plate. Please contact us for more details.
- Available coatings
- Multi-layer dielectric laser line, dual-band or broad-band AR coatings
- Single-layer protective coatings (P-coating) to protect polished surfaces from fogging due to ambient moisture.
Recommended BBO crystal length (mm)
| Application (T = 300 K) \ Pulse duration, fs | 10 | 50 | 100 | 150 | 300 |
|---|
| SHG @ 1030 nm, Type 1, Ɵ=23.4°, Φ=90° | 0.1 | 0.5 | 1 | 1.5 | 2 |
| SHG @ 800 nm, Type 1, Ɵ=29.2°, Φ=90° | 0.05 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1 |
Disclamer
Laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) measurements are performed on actual components produced by Altechna. Individual component’s LIDT depends on multiple parameters (substrate material, polishing batch, coating batch, storage conditions, etc). Damage threshold value reached for above individual components should be used for reference only but it is not guaranteed for all optics. LIDT reports for a coating batch can be ordeder upon request.
