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Alpha Barium Borate (α-BaB2O4)

Alpha-BBO Crystal (BaB2O4) is an excellent negative birefringent crystal with high temperature phase transition. It is characterized by a large birefringent coefficient and a wide transmission window ranging from 189nm to 3500nm. The physical, chemical, thermal and optical properties of alpha-BBO crystal are similar to those of beta-BBO; however, the nonlinear optical property of alpha-BBO crystal is vanished due to the centric symmetry within its crystal structure. Because of its high chemical stability and medium hardness, alpha-BBO is easily fabricated into many kinds of optical components.

Due to its unique UV transparency, good mechanical properties and high damage threshold, it is an excellent choice to replace Calcite in many applications such as Glan-Laser, Glan-Taylor, Glan-Thompson Polarizers and other beam displacers, especially in UV and high power operations.

 

 

                                                 Figure 1: External transmittance curve for 1 mm α-BaB2O4 crystal

 

  Transparency Range (nm) 190~3500
 
  Crystal Class Negative Uniaxial
 
  Damage Threshold (GW/cm2)
1  at 1064nm
0.5 at 532nm
 
  Constant of Dispersion (dn/dT)  (/°C) dno/dT=-9.3X10-6
dne/dT=-16.6X10-6
 
  Linear Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (25°C~900°C)  ( /K)
||C: 36X10-6
C: 4X10-6
 
  Refractive Indices ne=1.5534, no=1.6776 at 532nm
  ne=1.5379, no=1.6579 at 1064nm
 
  Density (g/cm3) 3.85
 
  Mohs Hardness 4.5  
  Table 1: α-BaB2O4 Properties
 

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