Open AccessDrastic reduction of thermally induced depolarization in CaF_2 crystals with [111] orientation
Author(s) -
Ilya Snetkov,
Anton G. Vyatkin,
O. Palashov,
Е. А. Хазанов
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.20.013357
Subject(s) - materials science , depolarization , anisotropy , optics , crystal (programming language) , orientation (vector space) , stress (linguistics) , wavelength , optoelectronics , physics , geometry , medicine , linguistics , philosophy , mathematics , computer science , programming language , endocrinology
The key importance of the sign of the stress-optic anisotropy ratio for reducing thermally induced depolarization in cubic crystals with 432, 4¯3m and m3m symmetry is addressed. A simple method for measuring the stress-optic anisotropy ratio (including its sign) was proposed and verified in CaF<₂ and TGG crystals by experiment. The ratio at room temperature for the wavelength 1076 nm was measured to be -0.47 and + 2.25, respectively. In crystals with a negative value of this parameter thermally induced depolarization may be reduced significantly by choosing crystal orientation. In a CaF₂ crystal with the [111] orientation a 20-fold reduction of thermally induced depolarization as compared to the [001] orientation was obtained in experiment, which is very promising for using CaF₂ as an active element in high-average-power lasers.