Abstract

Lithium tantalate crystals with a composition ranging from 48.3 mol % to 50.0 mol % lithium oxide are fabricated by vapor transport equilibration. To calibrate the composition of the crystals, the birefringence and the temperature for vanishing birefringence are measured. The photorefractive properties of the crystals are investigated with holographic methods and the optical damage at high light intensities is examined with a single–beam setup. In stoichiometric crystals the light–induced refractive–index changes are more than two orders of magnitude smaller than in congruently melting ones which makes them more attractive for applications like frequency conversion via quasi–phase matching.

© 2003 Optical Society of America