Aluminum borate crystals improve laser performance

17 Jun 2002

Researchers at Oregon State University have discovered a new family of optical materials that may significantly improve the performance and lower the cost of lasers. Applications in medicine, electronics, environmental monitoring and other industrial uses may evolve for this group of aluminum borate nonlinear crystals. Crystals of this type are used to take long-wavelength laser light and convert it to short wavelengths for various uses.

The efficiency of that conversion process, and the costs involved, are always a technological concern. "We still need to work through some of the remaining obstacles, such as growing these crystals to commercially usable sizes," said Douglas Keszler, an OSU professor of chemistry. "But then we anticipate that some important applications in medicine and industry." He reported the results at the Northwest Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society.