GOALI: High-Power Optical Materials for Micro- and Nanofabrication

本项目的目的是促进我们对限制激光和非线性光学（NLO）晶体高功率和短波长的特性的理解。此外，还将开发新的和改进的材料。目前，NLO材料缺乏高双折射和高透明度的合适组合，限制了直接二次谐波转换到深紫外和VUV波长。在未来，非线性吸收和热性能很可能成为在非常高的功率水平下性能的限制因素。为了研究和解决这些材料问题，我们将研究几种宽禁带氧化物的光学和热性能。线性光学特性、热导率和热光学系数将研究高透明度非线性光学晶体，该晶体将允许直接二次谐波转换到波长短于200nm或频率混合以产生可调谐的VUV光。高功率固体激光器的生产在很大程度上是一个热管理问题。通过将Yb3+的小能量缺陷发射结合到一个非常高导热的主机中，固态激光输出功率和效率的实质性改进当然是可以实现的。为了实现这种性能的组合，将研究和开发几种富含Y203和BeO的新材料。对发射的Yb3+离子进行详细的光谱检查；会生长出大的单晶；热导率将被评估；激光特性将被建立。拟议的计划的影响远远超出了光学科学和工程，因为这项工作与目前在电子和电信行业生产的大多数高科技设备的制造和微加工直接相关。此外，在未来，这种激光系统将通过制造微机电装置（MEMs）、微电化学系统（MECs）和其他小型光子和生物装置，在将微、纳米、中、微尺度功能连接到我们的日常世界中发挥重要作用。该项目对发展理工科人力资源也具有重要意义；该领域发展迅速，需要有经验的科学家和工程师。该项目涉及来自学术界和工业界各个学科的国际研究人员。研究生和本科生将接触到材料和激光科学的许多不同领域，提供独特的研究和教育机会。

The purpose of this project is to advance our understanding of the properties that limit both high-power and short-wavelength operation of laser and nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals. In addition, new and improved materials will be developed. At present, lack of a suitable combination of high birefringence and high transparency in NLO materials is limiting direct second-harmonic conversion to deep UV and VUV wavelengths. In the future, nonlinear absorption and thermal properties are likely to become limiting factors for performance at very high-power levels. To study and address these materials issues, the optical and thermal properties of several wide bandgap oxides will be examined. Linear optical properties, thermal conductivity, and thermo-optic coefficients will be studied for high-transparency nonlinear optical crystals that will allow either direct second-harmonic conversion to wavelengths shorter than 200 nm or frequency mixing for generation of tunable VUV light.The production of high powers in solid-state lasers is largely a thermal-management issue. Substantial improvements in solid-state laser output powers and efficiencies are certainly attainable by incorporating the small energy-defect emission of Yb3+ in a very high thermal-conductivity host. To achieve this combination of properties, several new materials that are rich in Y203 and BeO will be studied and developed. Detailed spectroscopic examinations will be made on the emitting Yb3+ ion; large single crystals will be grown; thermal conductivities will be assessed; and laser properties will be established.The effects of the proposed program extend well beyond optical science and engineering, as the work has direct relevance to manufacturing and micromachining of most of the high-technology devices that are currently being produced in the electronics and telecommunications industries. Moreover, in the future, such laser systems will play important roles in connecting pico-, nano-, meso-, and microscale functions to our everyday world through the fabrication of microelectromechanical devices (MEMs,) microelectrochemical systems (MECs,) and other small photonic and biodevices.The proposed project is also important for the development of human resources in science and engineering; the area is growing rapidly and experienced scientists and engineers are needed. The program involves an international collection of researchers from a variety of disciplines in both academia and industry. Graduate and undergraduate students will be exposed to many different areas of the materials and laser sciences, providing unique research and education opportunities.