| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/M40813/01 |
| Title: |
NEW QUASI PHASE MATCHED NONLINEAR MATERIALS AND THEIR APPLICATION TO OPTICAL PARAMETRIC OSCILLATORS |
| Principal Investigator: |
Thomas, Professor PA |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Department: |
Physics |
| Organisation: |
University of Warwick |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
19 April 1999 |
Ends: |
18 April 2002 |
Value (£): |
157,193
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Lasers & Optics |
Materials Characterisation |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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Quasi-phase-matched (QPM) nonlinear materials, such as periodically-poled lithium niobate (PP-LN), have had a major impact on current developments in nonlinear optics, particularly in applications involving optical parametric oscillators (OPOs). This programme combines the development of a new class of QPM materials, the arsenates and phosphates (KTP,KTA,RTA), which exhibit superior thermal, optical damage resistance and infrared transmission properties compared to PP- LN itself, with their application to novel continuous-wave OPOs. In a coordinated programme involving four institutions, and which aims to further enhance the UKs international leadership position in this area, it includes the growth of the basic crystalline materials together with their electric-field-induced periodic-poling, and then their subsequent application in a study aimed at developing and investigating practical intracavity and pump-enhanced OPOs as sources of CW coherent radiation for the mid infrared from 1 to > 5um at power levels around 1 W. Novel diagnostic techniques, based on dielectric spectroscopy and reciprocal space mapping, will be developed for material assessment, in relation to both growth and poling, with the aim of gaining a thorough understanding of the crystal characteristics and promote/limit the poling processes in the arsenates and phosphates. Intracavity OPOs, which have the advantages of low threshold, high conversion efficiency, and compact size, will be designed, developed and investigated along with related frequency up-conversion devices to provide sources of continuous-wave coherent radiation which is continuously tunable over greater than a decade from 410nm to > 5um at power levels from 0.1 to 1 W.Key Words: Lasers, Optoelectronic Devices, Quasi-Phase-Matched Nonlinear Materials, Optical Parametric Oscillators, Mid IR Sources.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.warwick.ac.uk |