Abstract

Potassium titanyl phosphate (ΚΤiOΡΟ₄ or KTP) has been proven to be an excellent material for nonlinear frequency conversion applications, particularly for second harmonic generation (SHG) of Nd:YAG lasers. However, applications have been limited by laser induced absorption commonly referred to as grey tracks. In the past, conventional wisdom has held that hydrothermally grown KTP was less susceptible to the grey track damage than KTP grown from the flux technique. However, hydrothermally grown KTP has generally been limited by smaller crystals and higher cost. Recent advancements in flux growth of KTP have produced crystals with low grey track susceptibility while retaining the advantages of large size and low cost.

© 1995 Optical Society of America