BIBO Crystals
What Are BIBO Crystals?
Fig 1. Large single crystals of BiB3O6. [1]
Bismuth triborate (BiB3O6 or BIBO) represents a significant advancement in nonlinear optical crystal technology, offering an exceptional combination of high nonlinear coefficients and wide transparency range. This monoclinic crystal has gained rapid acceptance in both scientific and industrial applications due to its outstanding performance in frequency conversion processes. With nonlinear coefficients significantly higher than many conventional materials and excellent mechanical properties, BIBO provides engineers and researchers with a superior solution for efficient wavelength conversion across multiple spectral regions.
At Alfa Chemistry, we leverage top-seeded solution growth (TSSG) technique to produce BIBO crystals that deliver unmatched performance and reliability for your most demanding optical applications.
Features
- Exceptionally High Nonlinear Coefficients: deff = 3.32 pm/V, offering superior conversion efficiency.
- Broad Transparency Range: 286 nm - 2500 nm, covering important spectral regions.
- High Damage Threshold: >0.5 GW/cm2 (1064 nm, 10 ns), ensuring reliability in high-power applications.
- Wide Acceptance Angles: Excellent temperature and spectral bandwidths for flexible system design.
- Non-hygroscopic Nature: Maintains performance in various environmental conditions.
- Excellent Mechanical Properties: Hardness of 5.5-6.0 Mohs for durability in handling and integration.
- Moderate Birefringence: Optimal for phase-matching various frequency conversion processes.
Specifications Product Options Applications
| Product Name | BIBO Crystals |
| Catalog No. | OPTIX-0005 |
| Chemical Formula | BiB3O6 |
| Crystal Structure | Monoclinic, point group 2 |
| Lattice Parameters | a=7.116Å, b=4.993Å, c=6.508Å, β=105.62°, Z=2 |
| Mass Density | 5.033 g/cm3 |
| Mohs Hardness | 5.5 |
| Melting Point | 726℃ |
| Specific Heat | 0.5J/g ·K @ 330K |
| Homogeneity | 10-6/cm |
| Clear Aperture | > 90% |
| Parallelism | < 30 arc sec |
| Perpendicularity | ≤ 15 arc min |
| Surface Quality (Scratch/Dig) | 10/5 to MIL-PRF-13830B |
| Angle Tolerance | Δθ≦0.25 °, ΔФ≦0.25 ° |
| Flatness | < λ/6 @633 nm |
| Deliquescent Properties | Weak |
| Nonlinear Optical Properties |
| NLO Coefficient | d11 = 2.53 pm/V, d12 = 2.93 pm/V, d13 = -1.93 pm/V, d14 = 1.63 pm/V
d25 = 1.67 pm/V, d26 = 3.48 pm/V
d35 = -1.58 pm/V, d36 = 1.67 pm/V |
| Damage Threshold | 500 MW/cm2 @ 1064nm, 10ns |
| Axial Thermal Expansion Coefficient | -26.4 x 10-6/°C
50.4 x 10-6/°C
8.5 x 10-6/°C |
| Axial Orientation | X//b, (Z,a)=31.6°, (Y,c)=47.2° |
| SHG (1064, 532) | Matching angle: 168.9° from Z axis in YZ plane
deff: 3.0 +/- 0.1 pm/V
Acceptance angle: 2.32 mrad.cm
Stray angle: 25.6 mrad
Acceptance temperature: 2.17° C.cm |
| Linear Optical Properties |
| Transparency Range | 286- 2500 nm |
| Absorption Coefficient | <0.1%/cm @ 1064nm |
| Refractive Index | nx = 1.7569, ny = 1.7835, nz = 1.9166 @1.0642 μm |
Note: The data provided is for reference purposes. We recommend consulting with our technical team to verify suitability for your application.
BIBO Crystal Product Options
- Crystal sizes up to 10 × 10 × 15 mm3 are available.
- Coatings:
a) BIBO dual-band or triple-band antireflection (AR) coatings for SHG and THG applications.
b) BIBO broadband antireflection (BBAR) and P-type coatings for OPO applications.
c) Other coatings available upon request. - Dimension Tolerance:
a) (W ± 0.1 mm) × (H ± 0.1 mm) × (L + 0.5/-0.1 mm) (L ≥ 2.5 mm)
b) (W ± 0.1 mm) × (H ± 0. 1 mm) × (L + 0.1/-0.1 mm) (L < 2.5 mm)
BIBO crystals excel in diverse nonlinear optical applications:
Efficient Harmonic Generation:
- Second, third, and fourth harmonic generation of Nd-based lasers
- Frequency doubling of Ti:Sapphire and other laser systems
Optical Parametric Processes:
- Optical parametric oscillators (OPO) with broad tuning ranges
- Optical parametric amplifiers (OPA) for signal amplification
- Optical parametric generation (OPG) systems
Ultrafast Laser Applications:
- Frequency conversion for femtosecond laser systems
- Pulse compression and parametric amplification
Medical and Industrial Lasers:
- Dermatology and aesthetic medical devices
- Laser marking and material processing systems
- Spectroscopy and analytical instruments
Why Choose Our BIBO Crystals?
- Superior Crystal Quality: Excellent optical homogeneity and consistent performance.
- Custom Engineering: Available in various sizes, orientations, and with custom coatings.
- Rigorous Quality Assurance: Comprehensive testing protocol including wavefront distortion, damage threshold verification, and optical homogeneity measurement.
- Global Logistics: Reliable worldwide shipping and supply chain management.
Reference
- Haussühl, S., et al. Applied physics A 82.3 (2006): 495-502.
