Recent progress on acentric La3Nb0.5Ga5.5O14 crystals: large-size growth and application to ultrafast mid-infrared laser systems [Invited]

Optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) can be used to generate ultrafast intense mid-IR lasers, however, the lack of suitable nonlinear optical crystals simultaneously having a wide transmission range, high laser damage threshold, and excellent phase-matching property hin1ders the development of mid-IR OPCPA. Here, we focus on the La3Nb0.5Ga5.5O14 (LGN) crystal and describe its growth, characterization, and application in mid-IR nonlinear frequency converters. We discuss the optimization of the starting polycrystalline component and temperature field aimed for the growth of large-size LGN crystals with a 60 mm diameter. We then present a detailed characterization of their optical properties, including transmission spectrum, refractive indices, and nonlinear coefficient. Our findings suggest the promising potential of LGN in generating both few-cycle pulses across 3 to 6 mu m and terawatt-class OPCPA systems around 5 mu m. (C) 2022 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement

Automated summary

This study focuses on the application of the La3Nb0.5Ga5.5O14 (LGN) crystal in mid-IR nonlinear frequency converters. By optimizing the starting polycrystalline component and temperature field, large-size LGN crystals with a diameter of 60 mm were successfully grown and their optical properties were characterized in detail. The findings suggest that LGN crystals have promising potential for generating few-cycle pulses and terawatt-class OPCPA systems.