GROWTH OF SINGLE CRYSTAL RARE-EARTH-DOPED BARIUM YTTRIUM FLUORIDE FOR IR-PUMPED VISIBLE LASERS

COMPACT BLUE-GREEN LASERS ARE REQUIRED FOR APPLIATIONS IN OPTICAL DATA STORAGE, REPROGRAPHICS, AND BIOMEDICAL DIAGNOSTICS. IR-PUMPED VISIBLE UPCONVERSION LASERS ARE A PARTICULARLY PROMISING CLASS OF BLUE-GREEN LASERS. IN ORDER FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF IR-PUMPED VISIBLE LASERS TO PROGRESS BEYOND ITS CURRENT LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT, A RELIABLE SOURCE OF BARIUM YTTRIUM FLUORIDE MATERIAL IS REQUIRED. THIS PARTICULAR HOST, DOPED WITH YTTERBIUM AND THULIUM WAS USED IN THE FIRST IR-PUMPED VISIBLE LASER TO OPERATE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. RESEARCHERS ARE INVESTIGATING THE GROWTH OF RARE-EARTH-DOPED BARIUM YTTRIUM FLUORIDE BY THE CZOCHRALSKI TECHNIQUE. FLUORIDE GROWTH TECHNOLOGY, WHICH HAS BEEN USED TO GROW LARGE BOULES OF YLF AND LISAF IS BEING ADAPTED TO THE GROWTH OF BARIUM YTTRIUM FLUORIDE. THE DEVELOPMENT OF GROWTH TECHNIQUES FOR HIGH QUALITY RARE-EARTH-DOPED BARIUM YTTRIUM FLUORIDE ACCELERATES THE DEVELOPMENT OF IR-PUMPED UPCONVERSION LASERS, LEADING TO THEIR ULTIMATE INTRODUCTION INTO THE COMMERCIAL MARKETPLACE.