The subject of the offer is new nonlinear optical materials for use in nonlinear optics.

Application: optical devices and components, optoelectronics, nonlinear optics

Along with the dynamic development of optical technology, there is an increasing interest in materials characterized by high birefringence and high efficiency of generating the second harmonic.

The phenomenon of birefringence, splitting the light rays, is used in many optical devices, including liquid crystal displays, light modulators, OAGs (optical axis gratings) as well as in the production of optical elements, e.g. the Nicol prism and wave plates. The phenomenon of birefringence, that is splitting the light rays, is used in many optical devices, including liquid crystal displays, light modulators, OAGs (optical axis gratings) as well as in the production of optical elements, e.g. the Nicol prism and wave plates. Filters with known birefringence are used in cameras to compensate for the irreversible signal distortion, the so-called spatial aliasing. This effect plays also a key role in nonlinear optical processes, including the second harmonic generation (SHG), i.e. light with twice the shorter wavelength than incident light. Materials exhibiting nonlinear optical properties (NLO) are widely used in optoelectronics, e.g. for the conversion of light frequency as well as in photonics and telecommunications.

The unceasing quest for new nonlinear optical materials characterized by high efficiency of light conversion, mechanical and optical resistance (high destruction threshold) and adequate transparency takes place in materials science.

The offer relates to co-crystals, from which one of polymorphic form is an efficient, phase matchable second harmonic generator. The averaged, relative experimental of second harmonic generation is over 14 times higher than of the commonly used nonlinear material  (potassium dihydrogen phosphate). The presented optical material is colorless, suitable for growing large single crystals. The obtained crystals have extreme values of birefringence with reference to other transparent materials. The maximum birefringence for one of the polymorphic form is 0,46. For comparison, calcite, which is commonly used for the production of polarizing prisms, has a birefringence c.a  0.17.

The offered materials, thanks to their properties,  may be used for the construction of optical devices and components. Moreover, due to the polar structure may exhibit properties such as pyroelectricity, piezoelectricity or ferroelectricity.

Advantages of the technology:

The presented optical materials are characterized by: 

- large birefringence (2-3 times greater compared to commonly used polarizing prisms);

- the high efficiency of the second harmonic generation ( 14 times higher than of the commercial used optical material) and ability to fulfill phase matching condition;

- the colorlessness desired in the context of optical applications;

- suitable for growing large single crystals.

The above-mentioned features of the presented technology testify to the competitiveness in relation to the materials currently used for the construction of optical systems (e.g liquid crystal displays, CD / DVD laser reading systems, optical fiber technology, LED matrices, photoelectric detectors).

The proposed materials are the subject of the patent application. Further development of the invention is carried out by scientists from Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University.

Centre for Technology Transfer CITTRU is looking for the entities interested in the cooperation and commercial applications of the described solution.