Finding a Novel Borate Ferroelectric with Random Domain Structures for Deep-UV Quasi-Phase-Matching

Abstract

Finding competitive nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals for practical deep-ultraviolet (deep-UV) lasers remains a fundamental yet challenging goal in photonic materials research. The production of deep-UV lasers through the mesoscopic domain structure of ferroelectric materials has been a popular research area via quasi-phase-matching (QPM). However, as of right present, no ferroelectric in the deep-UV area is able to provide QPM laser output. Here, a new room-temperature borate ferroelectric Ba₃Mg₃(BO₃)₃F₃ (BMBF) is presented. The ferroelectricity of BMBF crystals exhibits significant relaxor behavior and the random domain structure can relax the strict phase-matching conditions, rendering it a disordered NLO medium. Benefiting from its unique ferroelectric properties, BMBF crystal achieves a second-harmonic generation output energy of 3.55 µJ for 398 to 199 nm wavelength frequency conversion, even in the absence of birefringent phase-matching conditions. This result demonstrates that BMBF is a promising candidate for deep-UV QPM applications. Furthermore, this study expands the frontiers of borate ferroelectrics while the realization of deep-UV light output using BMBF crystal motivates and provides a path for its broader application.