SBIR Phase I: Hydrothermal Growth Strontium Beryllium Borate (SBBO) for deep UV Nonlinear Optical Applications.

The?broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is represented by the development of a company in a unique field of single crystal growth addressing needs in solid-state lasers. Single crystal growth represents a small and highly specialized, but absolutely essential, area of modern materials technology. Solid-state lasers are commercially vital because they are compact, durable, relatively inexpensive, and field deployable in many technologies. Single crystals are essential components to solid-state lasers and thereby represent significant commercial potential. This project will enhance the skill set of specialty manufacturers of high quality single crystals for solid-state lasers. It represents an unmet commercial need in short wavelength solid-state lasers and also will expand the technological skill set of single crystal growers. This last point is especially important, as there is a serious lack of skills, technology and infrastructure in solid state laser production in this country, and this makes the US increasingly dependent on offshore suppliers of essential materials. This program will help train the next generation of critical materials manufacturing experts in the US. The proposed project intends to address the development of new single crystals called Strontium Beryllium Borate (SBBO). These crystals are an enabling technology for the manufacture of short wavelength solid-state lasers lasing at and below 266 nm. Such lasers have many potential applications but at present there are no materials capable of practical performance at these very short wavelengths. This shortcoming represents a significant commercial opportunity. The project will examine production of single crystals of a new material to meet this need using hydrothermal synthesis, which employs very hot water at high pressures as a growth environment. In this Phase I project, research will be undertaken to develop a growth protocol of large single crystals of this vital material, A feedstock will be perfected, and seed crystals will be produced. Transport conditions will be optimized, and suitable temperature gradients will be identified. Preliminary evaluation of crystal quality will be performed. Suitable crystals will be sent to collaborators in the laser manufacturing industry for preliminary production of solid-state short wavelength lasers. The seed crystals and growth protocols from the research in this Phase I program will be used in a Phase II project for development of a full-scale commercial manufacturing process for this crystal. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.