SBIR Phase II: Hydrothermal Growth of Potassium Beryllium Fluoroborate (KBBF) for Deep UV Nonlinear Optical Applications.

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目将利用水热技术开发KBe2BO3F2 （KBBF）单晶的商业生长工艺。该化合物是10年前开发的，作为一种深紫外非线性光学（NLO）材料显示出非凡的前景。目前固体激光器无法进入200纳米以下的区域，并且在这些波长下工作的光学元件有限。KBBF具有优异的深紫外特性，在倍频和波长混合等激光应用中具有很大的前景。先前的晶体通量生长方法在深紫外激光中表现出优异的性能，但材料很难生长成所需的单晶形式。此外，中国已经禁止用这种方法种植晶体，因此目前在中国以外无法获得KBBF晶体。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是继续开发用于光学应用的单晶生长的水热方法。NLO材料对于波长小于200nm的固体激光器的发展至关重要，用于光刻，微加工和光谱学。KBBF晶体的可用性也将使新技术成为可能，例如对峙爆炸探测。这项技术将有助于美国先进材料工业的重生。晶体生长行业已经几乎完全转移到海外，这使得美国在先进应用方面处于弱势，新的战略材料的供应正在减少，尤其是在光学领域。这一领域尤其依赖于新材料，而美国正面临着失去曾经强大的竞争优势的严重危险。此外，一名博士后将通过克莱姆森大学的次级奖励得到支持，并将成为美国下一代材料科学家和工程师的一部分。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a commercial growth process for single crystals of KBe2BO3F2 (KBBF) using hydrothermal techniques. The compound was developed 10 years ago and shows exceptional promise as a deep UV non-linear optical (NLO) material. The sub-200 nm region is presently inaccessible for solid-state lasers, and optical components functioning at these wavelengths are limited. KBBF has excellent deep UV properties and shows great promise for laser applications like frequency doubling and wavelength mixing. A previous flux growth method for the crystals demonstrated excellent performance in deep UV lasing, but the material is very difficult to grow in the required single crystal form. Additionally, China has embargoed crystals grown by this method, as well as the process, so KBBF crystals are currently unavailable outside of China. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be to continue to develop the hydrothermal method for growth of single crystals for optical applications. NLO materials are vital for the development of solid-state lasers with wavelengths below 200 nm for use in photolithography, micromachining and spectroscopy. The availability of KBBF crystals will also enable new technologies, such as standoff explosive detection. This technology will help the rebirth of the advanced materials industry in the United States. The crystal growth industry has moved nearly completely offshore, leaving the United States vulnerable in terms of advanced applications, with a shrinking pipeline of new strategic materials, especially in the field of optics. This field is particularly dependent on new materials and the US is in serious danger of losing our once-substantial competitive edge. Additionally, a postdoctoral student will be supported through a subaward to Clemson University, and will become part of the next generation of materials scientists and engineers in this country.