Growth of Oxide Crystals for Optical Applications

Abstract

Growth techniques of crystals for optical applications are reviewed. LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 for electro-optical devices are grown by the Czochralski method. KDP, LiNbO3, KTP, and BBO for nonlinear optical applications are grown from aqueous solutions, melts and high temperature flux solutions. Garnets, sapphire and crysoberyl are main host crystals for lasers, and PbMoO4 and TeO2 are common crystals for acousto-optical applications. They are usually grown by the Czochralski method. Calcite and rutile provide polarizing elements and are grown, respectively, from either high temperature or hydrothermal solutions and from melts. Quartz crystals for phase plates are grown by the hydrothermal method. BaTiO3, SBN and BSO are photorefractive and photoconductive crystals. BaTiO3 is grown from high temperature solutions and the rest by the Czochralski method. The rare earth iron garnets give optical isolator elements. The bulk crystals are grown by the floating zone method and thin crystals by the liquid phase epitaxy. Crystals for scintillators, CdWO4, Bi4Ge3O12, and Ce: Gd2SiO5, are grown mostly by the Czochralski method. Al2O3 for windows is grown in a thin plate form and MgO for similar purposes by the electric fusion technique.