Optical Materials

Volume 1:

Soloman Musikant

• Editore: CRC Press
• Anno: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781000447330
• Edizione: 1
• Argomento: Technology & Engineering
• Categoria: Electrical Engineering & Telecommunications

This book covers nematic crystals for active optics; glass waveguide optical fibers; and crystalline transmitting materials for UV, visible, and IR applications. It is designed to assist practitioners in absorbing and assessing the new optical materials technologies.

Preface

Continuing progress in the science and technology of optics is dependent on parallel developments in materials which have the appropriate properties for manipulation of photons. About one century ago, in the 1880s, the ceramic scientist Otto Schott, in collaboration with the physicist Ernst Abbe and the optical craftsman Carl Zeiss, embarked on comprehensive development of a large family of optical glasses. This effort has been continued by a succession of investigators, leading to thousands of glass formulations which meet the varied demands of optical designers. Glasses for refractors as well as for reflector substrates have been developed. Beyond glass, a variety of crystalline substances, starting with the birefringent calcite, have been discovered and invented for all the varied optical applications of today’s technologies. In addition to bulk materials, coating and thin films were created for antireflection, high reflection, partially transmitting, and a myriad of other needs.

Invention of the laser led to the development of solid laser host glasses and crystals. Various materials are needed and were developed to withstand the beam power and to control beam polarization, to define pulse duration, and to establish the wavelength of the beam. Applied to the laser devices were the newly discovered nonlinear materials which produce effects such as second harmonic generation, sum and difference frequency generation, and optical parametric amplification and oscillation. Faraday materials have been applied to optical isolators and a variety of advanced photorefractive materials have been developed.

Issues of significance include the role of nonlinearity in optical computing and the use of multiple quantum wells of GaAs-AlGaAs. Multiple quantum wells are also finding application in spatial light modulators as are ferroelectric liquid crystals. The field of integrated optics, less than 20 years old, largely employs the lithium niobate crystal. However, the use of III-V compounds offers the potential of integrating a wider technology including waveguides, modulators, switches, lasers, photodetectors, and even electronic circuitry.

Acousto-optic, magneto-optic and liquid crystals have made possible many new and powerful devices. The development of nonlinear organic crystals is destined to lead to low-cost electro-optic devices for mass production. These organic crystals permit extremely fast response to optical excitation.

Even the mundane window and mirror are reaching new sophistication especially for high power, high energy lasers which can tolerate minimal wavefront distortions. New techniques for fabrication of large, lightweight mirrors have been developed in the recent past under the impetus of satellite telescope technology.

The effect on environments on exposed optical materials is a persistent consideration and environmental effects are being studied and mitigated. Contamination of optics is a materials issue.

This volume contains three monographs covering nematic crystals for active optics; glass waveguide optical fibers; and crystalline transmitting materials for UV, visible, and IR applications. The authors, authorities in their fields, are respectively Dr. Shin-Tson Wu of the Hughes Research Laboratories; Drs. Paul A. Tick and Peter L. Bocko of the Corning Glass Works; and Dr. James A. Savage of the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment.

Succeeding volumes are planned to review the topics touched on above. Some of the specific articles planned will cover thin films, bulk optical glass, diamond optics, nonlinear inorganic crystals, nonlinear organic crystals, superpolishing and diamond point machining, large mirror substrates, contamination, gradient Index optical materials, laser media, acousto-optic materials, magneto-optic materials, piezoelectric optical materials, plastic optics, and optical storage media. Reviews are also envisaged on individual materials, such as the beta barium borate nonlinear crystal and the piezoelectric transparent lead lanthanum zirconium titanate (PLZT). Other subjects will be presented as significant developments emerge.

This series is designed to assist practitioners in absorbing and assessing the new optical materials technologies by means of monographs on individual topics written by leaders in their fields. These monographs will aim to be both tutorial and explicit in documenting the state of the art and the applications for the new materials as well as the fundamental basis for their performance.

Solomon Musikant

Contents

Series Introduction

Preface to Volume 1

Contributors

Chapter 1 Nematic Liquid Crystals for Active Optics

Shin-Tson Wu

1.1 Introduction

1.2 General Features of Nematic Liquid Crystals

1.3 Optical Properties of Nematic Liquid Crystals

1.4 Electro-optic Effects of Nematic Liquid Crystals

1.5 Applications

References

Appendix

Chapter 2 Optical Fiber Materials

Paul A. Tick

Peter L. Bocko

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Oxide Fiber Fabrication

2.3 Halide Glasses

2.4 Chalcogenide Glasses

2.5 Crystalline Fibers

References

Chapter 3 Crystalline Optical Materials for Ultraviolet, Visible...