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LiNbO₃ Crystal

POC-OC-122515-LiNbO3 Crystal

  • Exceptional electro-optical and nonlinear optical properties.
  • High-quality material for Q-switching, doubling frequencies, and parametric oscillation.
  • Transmission range from 0.4 μm to 5.5 μm.
  • Custom doping options, including MgO doping, for enhanced damage thresholds.
  • Available in dimensions up to 60 mm × 60 mm.

Customizable Components Available for This Material to Meet Your Specific Needs!

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General Description

Lithium Niobate (LiNbO₃) is a widely used electro-optic, piezoelectric, and nonlinear optical material. Known for its superior electro-optic and nonlinear optical coefficients, LiNbO₃ is utilized in laser technology for Q-switching, frequency doubling, and parametric oscillators. With its broad transparency range and strong piezoelectric response, this material is highly suitable for advanced photonic applications.

POC offers MgO-doped LiNbO₃ crystals with up to 5% doping concentration. MgO doping improves optical damage resistance and optimizes the electro-optic properties, enabling the crystal to handle higher laser powers without performance degradation.

General Applications and Examples

LiNbO₃ crystals are versatile materials with widespread use in the photonics industry:

  1. Q-Switching: Essential for controlling high-power laser output in Nd:YAG and Nd:YLF lasers. LiNbO₃’s electro-optic properties enable precise modulation of light pulses.
  2. Frequency Doubling: Used to convert fundamental laser frequencies into harmonics, extending the laser’s range into the visible and UV spectrum.
  3. Optical Parametric Oscillators (OPOs): Generate tunable coherent light by exploiting nonlinear optical phenomena in LiNbO₃.
  4. Terahertz Radiation Generation: Serves as a source for terahertz waves in imaging and sensing applications, including time-domain spectroscopy.
  5. Laser Technology Enhancements: Utilized in high-precision laser cutting, welding, and marking applications due to its optical efficiency and damage resistance.

Chemical and Structural Properties

Property Value
Crystal Structure Trigonal System
Mohs Hardness 5.0–5.5
Density 4.628 g/cm³
Transparency Range 0.4 μm–5.5 μm
Refractive Index (at 632.8 nm) no = 2.286, ne = 2.203
Doping Option Up to 5% MgO

Optical Properties

Nonlinear Optical Coefficients Value
d31 (1.06 μm) 2.1 ± 0.21 pm/V
d32 (1.06 μm) 4.35 ± 0.44 pm/V
d33 (1.06 μm) 27.2 ± 2.7 pm/V
 
Electro-Optic Coefficients Value
γ13 8.6 pm/V
γ22 3.4 pm/V
γ33 30.8 pm/V
γ51 28.0 pm/V

Standard Fabrication Specifications

Specification Value
Max Dimension Up to 60 mm × 60 mm
Surface Flatness λ/8 @ 632.8 nm
Parallelism Error < 30 arc seconds
Perpendicularity Error < 0.2°
Surface Quality 40-20 S-D

Spectrum Transmission Curve

Specific curve not available. Transmission is uniform between 0.4 μm and 5.5 μm. For detailed graphs, contact POC for customized analysis.

Coating Specification

  • Anti-reflection (AR) coatings on request to enhance optical performance.
  • Options include standard broadband AR coatings optimized for specific wavelengths.
  • Adhesion Test: Compliant with MIL-C-675C military standards, an adhesion test involved applying a tape that meets LT-90 specifications onto the lens film layer. The tape was affixed fully and then removed vertically. This procedure was performed three times, resulting in no blistering or peeling.
  • Temperature Test: In line with MIL-C-675C specifications, test pieces were subjected to temperatures of -62±1℃ and 71±1℃. After maintaining them at room temperature (16℃~32℃) for two hours, the adhesion test was repeated, confirming no film detachment.
  • Abrasion Resistance Test: Conforming to MIL-C-675C and CCC-C-440 standards, the abrasion resistance test involved a gauze tester applying a minimum force of 1.0 lbs (0.45 kg) to the film. This was repeated 25 times with gauze widths of 1/4 inch (6.4mm) and 3/8 inch (9.5mm), ensuring no damage occurred to the film surface.
  • Humidity Test: Under MIL-C-675C criteria, the test piece was placed in a controlled temperature and humidity chamber set to 49 ±2℃ and 95%~100% humidity for 24 hours. The film remained intact, with no peeling, scratches, or other defects.
  • Solvent and Cleaning Testing: Following MIL-C-675C specifications, test pieces were exposed to room temperature conditions (16℃~32℃) and tested with acetone and alcohol for at least 10 minutes each. After air drying and subsequent cleaning with a cotton cloth soaked in alcohol, the film surface showed no signs of peeling or scratches.
  • Salt Spray Test: After 100 hours in a 35°C environment with a 5% saltwater concentration, the film showed no signs of damage.
Dimension (mm) Doping Surface Finish Price (USD)
10 × 10 × 1.0 MgO: 5% Uncoated Request
20 × 20 × 2.0 MgO: 5% AR Coated Request
Custom On Demand On Demand Request

POC-OC-122515-LiNbO₃ Crystal

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