BBO Crystals
What Are BBO Crystals?
Beta barium borate (β-BaB2O4 or BBO) is a well-known synthetic nonlinear optical (NLO) crystal prized for its excellent properties. In particular, since its introduction, BBO has become one of the workhorse materials for an incredibly broad range of applications that involve the frequency conversion of laser light. With a very broad transparency range all the way into the deep ultraviolet (UV) region and a high nonlinearity, it is also capable of efficiently generating many difficult-to-access wavelengths that are impossible with other crystals. In a variety of state-of-the-art applications in basic science research, industry, and quantum technology, BBO has become an indispensable workhorse material.
Welcome to Alfa Chemistry, one of the leading suppliers of custom-grown BBO crystals in the world. Our BBO crystals are precision grown and fabricated to provide the highest levels of performance for any application in which they may be used, from the highest power laser systems to advanced basic science research in quantum optics.
Features
Our BBO crystals stand out due to their unique combination of optical and physical properties:
- Broad Transparency Range: 190 nm – 3500 nm, covering deep UV to near-IR wavelengths.
- High Nonlinear Optical Coefficients: ~6x higher than KDP crystals, enabling efficient frequency conversion.
- Wide Phase-Matching Range: 6 nm – 3500 nm, supporting versatile frequency conversion processes.
- High Laser Damage Threshold: >10 GW/cm2 (for 100 ps pulses at 1064 nm), ideal for high-power laser applications.
- Excellent Optical Homogeneity: Δn ≈ 10-6/cm, ensuring minimal wavefront distortion and superior beam quality.
- Low Absorption Coefficient: α < 0.001/cm @ 1064 nm, maximizing transmission efficiency.
- Temperature Bandwidth: ~55°C, providing stability in varying thermal environments.
Specification Product Options Applications
| Product Name | BBO Crystals |
| Catalog No. | OPTIX-0003 |
| Chemical Formula | BaB2O4 |
| Crystal Structure | Trigonal system, 3m |
| Lattice Parameters | a=b=12.532Å, c=12.717Å, Z=6 |
| Mass Density | 3.85 g/cm3 |
| Mohs Hardness | 4 |
| Melting Point | ~ 1095°C |
| Thermal Conductivity | 1.2 W/m/K (⊥c); 1.6 W/m/K (//c) |
| Coefficient of Thermal Expansion | α,4×10-6/K; c,36×10-6/K |
| Birefringence | Negative uniaxial |
| Nonlinear Optical Properties |
| SHG Phase Matching Range | 409.6 ∼3500nm (Type I); 525 ∼3500nm (Type II) |
| NLO Coefficient | d11 = 5.8 x d36(KDP); d31 = 0.05 x d11; d22 < 0.05 x d11 |
| Thermo-Optic Coefficient | dno/dT = – 9.3 x 10-6/◦C; dne/dT = -16.6 x 10-6/◦C |
| Electro-Optic Coefficient | g11 = 2.7 pm/V, g22, g31 < 0.1 g11 |
| Half-Wave Voltage | 48 kV (@ 1064 nm) |
| Damage Threshold | 5 GW/cm2 (10 ns); 10 GW/cm2 (1.3 ns) @ 1.064 μm
1 GW/cm2 (10 ns); 7 GW/cm2 (250 (ps) @ 0.532 μm |
| Linear Optical Properties |
| Transparency Range | 189 – 3500 nm |
| Absorption Coefficient | α<0.1%/cm @ 1064 nm |
| Refractive Index | ne = 1.5425, no = 1.6551 @1.0642 μm
ne = 1.5555, no = 1.6749 @ 0.5321 μm
ne = 1.6146, no = 1.7571 @ 0.2660 μm |
| Sellmeier Equation (λ in μm) | no2(λ) = 2.7359 + 0.01878 / (λ2 - 0.01822) - 0.01354λ2
ne2 (λ) = 2.3753 + 0.01224 / (λ2 - 0.01667) - 0.01516λ2 |
Note: The data provided is for reference purposes. We recommend consulting with our technical team to verify suitability for your application.
BBO Standard Product Options
- Crystal: BBO
- θ: 29.2°
- φ: 90°
- Coating: P/P @400-800nm
- Pulse Width: 10fs, 20fs, 50fs, 100fs
- Dimensions (mm3):
| 6×6×0.05 | 20×20×0.1 | 20×20×0.2 |
| 10×10×0.05 | 22×22×0.1 | 22×22×0.2 |
| 6×6×0.1 | 6×6×0.2 | 6×6×0.5 |
| 8×8×0.1 | 8×8×0.2 | 8×8×0.5 |
| 10×10×0.1 | 10×10×0.2 | 10×10×0.5 |
| 12×12×0.1 | 12×12×0.2 | 12×12×0.5 |
| 15×15×0.1 | 15×15×0.2 | 15×15×0.5 |
BBO crystals are versatile and critical for advanced optical systems:
- Laser Frequency Conversion: Second, third, fourth, and fifth harmonic generation (SHG, THG, FHG) for Nd:YAG, Nd:YLF, Ti:Sapphire, and Alexandrite lasers. Sum and difference frequency generation (SFG/DFG) for tunable laser output.
- Optical Parametric Processes: Optical parametric oscillators (OPO) and amplifiers (OPA) for broad wavelength tuning.
- Quantum Optics: Generation of entangled photon pairs via spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) for quantum communication and computing.
- Electro-Optic Modulation: Pockels cells for Q-switching in high-repetition-rate, high-power lasers.
- Ultrafast and Deep UV Laser Systems: Critical for precision machining, spectroscopy, and scientific research.
Why Choose Our BBO Crystals?
- Decades of Expertise: Mastery in crystal growth and precision fabrication.
- Rigorous Quality Control: Every crystal undergoes strict testing for optical homogeneity, damage threshold, and phase-matching accuracy.
- Custom Solutions: Tailored dimensions, coatings, and orientations (Type I/II) to meet your exact requirements.
- Global Support: Technical assistance from design to integration.
