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Updated: May 20, 2026
20 mJ, 1 ps Yb:YAG Thin-disk Regenerative Amplifier
Published on: July 12, 2017
A Lithium Calcium Borate Nonlinear Optical Crystal with Deep-UV Cutoff Edge and Moderate Second-Harmonic Generation
Xianghao Kong1, Zherui Yu1, Ning Jia2,3
1State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Crystal Materials, Institute of Functional Crystals, Tianjin University of Technology Tianjin 300384, China.
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Nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals with transparency extending into the deep-ultraviolet (DUV) region have received intense research interest. However, designing DUV NLO crystals with well-balanced comprehensive performance remains challenging. Here, we report a new mixed alkali and alkaline-earth metal polyborate NLO crystal, LiCaB9O15 (LCBO), synthesized via spontaneous nucleation. LCBO belongs to the chiral orthorhombic space group P212121 (No. 19) and features a three-dimensional framework formed by the spiral alignment of [B3O7] groups. This unique structure results in a deep-UV cutoff edge below 200 nm with a large bandgap of 5.7 eV. Moreover, LCBO exhibits a moderate second-harmonic generation response (SHG) of 0.8 × KDP and a suitable birefringence of 0.033 at 1064 nm. First-principles calculations trace the optical characteristics of LCBO primarily to the B-O sp hybrid orbitals in [B3O7] groups. The combination of these properties positions LCBO as a potential candidate for short-wave UV NLO applications and contributes to the expanding structural diversity in metal polyborate chemistry.
