Self-organized homo-epitaxial growth in nonlinear optical BaAlBO3F2 crystal crossing lines patterned by laser in glass

Abstract Crystallization processing of glasses is important as a novel technique for the development of new optical materials, and laser-induced crystallization provides a new challenge in science and technology of materials. Nonlinear optical BaAlBO 3 F 2 crystal lines with crossing, bending, and spiral shapes were patterned at the surface of 2NiO–49BaF 2 –24.5Al 2 O 3 –24.5B 2 O 3 (mol%) and 2.9NiO–48.5BaF 2 –24.3Al 2 O 3 –24.3B 2 O 3 (mol%) glasses by laser irradiation (Yb:YVO 4 laser with a wavelength of 1080 nm) and the orientation state of BaAlBO 3 F 2 crystals was examined from birefringence image observations. The birefringence images indicate that the growth of highly c -axis oriented BaAlBO 3 F 2 crystals follows along the laser scanning direction even if the laser scanning direction changes, and in particular the direction of the c -axis of BaAlBO 3 F 2 crystals changes gradually at the crossing and bending points. The model of “ self-organized homo-epitaxial growth ” is proposed for the crystal orientation at the crossing and bending points, as a new crystal growth science and engineering beyond the wise providence of nature.