Linear and nonlinear optical properties of Ca3(VO4)2

Single crystals of Ca₃ (VO₄)₂ have been grown by the Czochralski method. The refractive indices show that the crystals are phasematchable between 1.72 μm and 2.94 μm with favourable values for acceptance angle and spectral width of the incident laser beam in the entire phasematching range. The nonlinear optical coefficients have been measured by the Maker fringe method at a fundamental wavelength of 1.064 μm. They are comparable to those of KDP. Thus the crystals are potentially useful for frequency conversion of broadband or tunable laser sources as semiconductor and F-center lasers. They may also be installed in high f-number IR image converters.