BBO is a popular nonlinear optical crystal typically used for frequency conversion. Recently, BBO was also used as electro- optic Q-Switch material. BBO was chosen as a good candidate material for use as an E-O Q-Switch for Er:Glass lasers because of its low insertion losses at 1.54 micrometer and high laser damage threshold (5GW/cm², 10 ns). Traditional materials such as KD*P or LiNbO₃ exhibit high insertion losses and/or low damage thresholds at 1.54 micrometer. As an added benefit, BBO does not exhibit a piezoelectric effect. All of these advantages make BBO an attractive Er:Glass E/O Q- switch for high peak and high average power applications.

Date Published: 27 May 1998
PDF: 5 pages
Proc. SPIE 3265, Solid State Lasers VII, (27 May 1998); doi: 10.1117/12.308658

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3265:
Solid State Lasers VII
Richard Scheps, Editor(s)