SBIR Phase II: Novel Crystal Growth Process for Silver Gallium Sulfide (AgGaS2)

*** 9801383 Ruderman这个小型企业创新研究第11期项目是一种新的方法来生长单晶硫化银镓（AgGaS2或AGS） -一种独特的材料，用于非线性光学应用。由1.06 um Nd:YAG激光器泵浦的AGS光学参量振荡器可以提供2.5 ~ 10 um连续可调的辐射。目前所有的AGS晶体生长方法都是使用全等熔体的定向结晶，产生含有第二相夹杂物的生长晶体，这些晶体必须经过退火以提高其光学质量。该技术生产的材料成分、产量和质量都不稳定，成本高，晶体尺寸有限，所有这些都限制了AGS的潜在应用。在我们的第一阶段研究和随后的INRAD资助的桥梁项目中，我们已经确定了Czochralski和旋转密封封装的顶部种子溶液生长（TSSG）的AGS晶体生长的可行性。在第二阶段，我们建议进一步发展这两种新的晶体生长工艺。大尺寸、高质量和低成本的高质量AGS晶体将使2.5 ~ 10 um连续可调谐的高效激光源成为可能。这种光源将在空气中污染物的环境监测、光谱学研究、微电子制造和高分辨率红外光谱仪中有许多商业应用。* * *

*** 9801383 Ruderman This Small Business Innovation Research Phase 11 Project a new approach to the growth of single crystals of silver gallium sulfide (AgGaS2 or AGS) - a unique material for nonlinear optical applications. An AGS optical parametric oscillator that can be pumped by a 1.06 um Nd:YAG laser can provide radiation continuously tunable from 2.5 to 10 um. All present crystal growth methods for AGS use directional crystallization from a congruent melt, that produce as-grown crystals containing second phase inclusions that have to be annealed to improve their optical quality. This technology produces material of variable composition, yield, and quality, involves high cost and yields crystals of limited size, all of which limit potential applications of AGS. In our Phase I research and in a subsequent INRAD funded bridge program, we have established the feasibility of AGS crystal growth by Czochralski and Top Seeded Solution Growth (TSSG) Encapsulated by a Rotating Seal. In Phase II we propose to further develop these two new crystal growth processes. High quality AGS crystals of large size, high quality and lower cost will make possible efficient laser sources continuously tunable from 2.5 to 10 um. Such sources will have numerous commercial applications in environmental monitoring for contaminants in air, spectroscopy research, Microelectronics manufacturing and high resolution infrared spectrometers. ***