OFweek Laser News: Deep ultraviolet all-solid-state laser sources refer to solid-state lasers that emit light with wavelengths below 200nm. Compared with non-coherent light sources such as synchrotron radiation and gas discharge, they have the characteristics of high photon energy, high spectral resolution, high photon flux and density, and the ability to operate at low repetition rates to high repetition rates, as well as various operating modes such as nanosecond, picosecond and femtosecond. For a long time, this type of practical and precise laser source has been lacking in the deep ultraviolet band, which has restricted the development of scientific instruments and frontier research in the deep ultraviolet band.
The Chinese Academy of Sciences has been conducting research on deep ultraviolet nonlinear optical crystal KBBF for over a decade. With the support of special funds from the Ministry of Finance, they have broken through technologies such as the four-component phase diagram and local spontaneous nucleation growth, and have pioneered the growth of large-sized crystals internationally. They have also invented the special application technology of this crystal - prism coupling device (which has obtained patents in China, the United States, and Japan), and have broken through technologies such as wavelength nonlinear control and precise compensation for beam pointing. They have successfully developed 8 types of international-first deep ultraviolet all-solid-state laser sources, making China the only country in the world that can master precise and practical deep ultraviolet laser technology. The successful development of deep ultraviolet all-solid-state laser sources has attracted widespread attention both at home and abroad. Dozens of renowned universities and research institutions abroad have proposed to purchase or cooperate with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. To develop our own scientific instruments and equipment and promote the development of the scientific and technological frontiers in the deep ultraviolet field, the Chinese Academy of Sciences has temporarily prohibited the export of related technologies abroad and organized its superior forces within the academy to successfully develop 8 international-first deep ultraviolet cutting-edge equipment, including deep ultraviolet Raman spectrometer, deep ultraviolet photoelectron emission microscope, deep ultraviolet laser photochemical reaction instrument, deep ultraviolet laser photo-induced luminescence spectrometer, deep ultraviolet laser spin-resolved angle-resolved photoelectron spectrometer, deep ultraviolet laser in situ spatially resolved tunnel electron spectrometer, time-of-flight energy analyzer-based deep ultraviolet laser angle-resolved photoelectron spectrometer, and photon energy adjustable deep ultraviolet laser photoelectron spectrometer. These 8 types of international-first deep ultraviolet cutting-edge equipment have continuously achieved important and advanced results in frontier scientific research fields such as high-temperature superconductivity, catalytic reactions, graphene, topological insulators, and ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors. Nearly 100 papers have been published in international top journals such as Nature and its supplements. This has continuously promoted the technological progress of related scientific instrument industries and is expected to create new scientific frontiers. The Ministry of Finance and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have carried out a large number of innovations in the management of original major scientific equipment research projects with wide interdisciplinary coverage, large span, strong exploration and engineering nature. Currently, a complete innovation chain of deep ultraviolet "materials - devices - equipment - scientific research" has been formed, and it has become a successful example of independently developing high-precision and advanced instruments.
In the research and development of KBBF crystals and devices, the Institute of Physics has achieved breakthroughs in the stable growth technology of large-sized KBBF crystals. By studying the growth phase regions of the crystals, the yield of the products has been improved. They have also invented the prism coupling frequency doubling technology, forming a stable processing process for the devices, and significantly increased the damage threshold.
With the support of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences is currently undertaking the "Phase II Project for the Development of Frontier Equipment for Deep Ultraviolet Solid-State Laser Sources" and the "National Major Scientific Instrument Development Special Project Research". It is expanding from the fields of physics, chemistry and materials to those of information, life resources and environment. At the same time, it is conducting engineering research on deep ultraviolet laser light emission electron microscopy, continuously leading the development of deep ultraviolet laser scientific instruments, maintaining and developing China's international leading position in the field of deep ultraviolet, and promoting the development of frontier research in the discipline.
