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

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力体现在一家公司在满足固态激光器需求的独特单晶生长领域的发展。单晶生长代表着现代材料技术中一个小而高度专业化，但绝对必要的领域。固态激光器在商业上至关重要，因为它们紧凑、耐用、相对便宜，而且在许多技术中都可以现场部署。单晶是固体激光器的重要组成部分，因此代表着巨大的商业潜力。该项目将提高高质量固体激光器单晶专业制造商的技能。它代表了短波长固态激光器尚未得到满足的商业需求，也将扩大单晶种植者的技术技能。最后一点尤其重要，因为美国在固体激光生产方面严重缺乏技能、技术和基础设施，这使得美国越来越依赖必要材料的海外供应商。该计划将帮助培训美国下一代关键材料制造专家。拟议的项目旨在解决称为硼酸锶铍(SBBO)的新单晶的开发。这些晶体为制造266 nm及以下波长的短波长固体激光器提供了一种可行的技术。这种激光器有许多潜在的应用，但目前还没有能够在这些非常短的波长下具有实际性能的材料。这一缺陷代表着一个重大的商业机会。该项目将研究一种新材料单晶的生产，以满足这一需求，使用高压非常热水作为生长环境的水热合成。在这个第一阶段的项目中，将进行研究，以制定这种重要材料的大单晶的生长方案，完善A原料，并生产种子晶体。运输条件将得到优化，并将确定适当的温度梯度。将对晶体质量进行初步评估。合适的晶体将被送往激光制造行业的合作者，用于初步生产固态短波长激光器。这一第一阶段研究中的种子晶体和生长协议将用于第二阶段项目，为这种晶体开发全面的商业制造工艺。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.