Lithium Niobate (LiNbO₃ or LN Crystal) is a versatile nonlinear optical material widely utilized in photonics for its remarkable electro-optic (E-O) and acousto-optic (A-O) properties. It is commonly used for frequency doubling (SHG) of infrared lasers operating beyond 1 µm, optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) at 1064 nm, and quasi-phase-matched (QPM) devices. Known for its high optical damage threshold, excellent optical homogeneity, and mechanical robustness, LN Crystal is ideal for precision applications like Pockel cells, Q-switches, phase modulators, waveguide substrates, and surface acoustic wave (SAW) wafers. With a melting point of 1253°C and a Curie temperature of 1140°C, it exhibits stability under rigorous operational conditions.
LN Crystals are highly valued across diverse photonic applications:
Example: LN Crystal-based QPM devices have been used to achieve highly efficient wavelength conversion at 1064 nm for green light generation with a low operational threshold.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Crystal Structure | Trigonal, Space Group R3c |
| Lattice Parameter | a = 5.148 Å, c = 13.863 Å |
| Melting Point | 1253°C |
| Curie Temperature | 1140°C |
| Mohs Hardness | 5 |
| Density | 4.64 g/cm³ |
| Elastic Stiffness Coefficients | C₁₁ = 2.33 × 10¹¹ N/m² |
| C₁₂ = 2.77 × 10¹¹ N/m² |
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Transparency Range | 420 – 5200 nm |
| Optical Homogeneity | ~5 x 10⁻⁵ cm |
| Refractive Indices | nₑ = 2.156, nₒ = 2.232 at 1064 nm |
| nₑ = 2.146, nₒ = 2.220 at 1300 nm | |
| NLO Coefficients | d₃₁ = 86 × dₓ (KDP) |
| d₃₃ = 37.84 pm/V | |
| Effective NLO Coefficients | dₑff = d₁₁cosθcos²ϕcos3φ |
| Damage Threshold | 100 MW/cm² (1064 nm, 10 ns) |
| Property | Specification |
|---|---|
| Dimension Tolerance | (W ± 0.1 mm) x (H ± 0.1 mm) x (L ± 0.2 mm) |
| Angle Tolerance | Δθ ≤ 0.25°, Δφ ≤ 0.25° |
| Parallelism | < 20 arc seconds |
| Perpendicularity | < 5 arc minutes |
| Surface Quality (Scratch/Dig) | 20/10 to MIL-PRF-13830B |
| Surface Flatness | λ/8 @ 633 nm |
| Wavefront Distortion | λ/8 @ 633 nm |
| Damage Threshold | 100 MW/cm² @ 1064 nm (10 ns) |
The LN Crystal exhibits transparency across the 420–5200 nm range, making it suitable for tunable laser systems.
| Product Code | Dimensions (mm) | Coating Type | Application | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LN-C1 | 10 x 10 x 10 | AR @ 1064/532 nm | SHG/OPO | $150 |
| LN-C2 | 15 x 15 x 20 | DBAR @ 1064/532 nm | Electro-Optic Modulation | $200 |
| LN-Custom | Custom Dimensions | Custom Coatings | Tailored Applications | On Request |
