Laser Induced Periodic Surface Crystalline Patterns on SrO-0.5Li2O-4.5B2O3 and BaO-0.5Na2O-4.5B2O3 Glasses and Optical Second Harmonic Generation

TL;DR

This study demonstrates the fabrication of transparent glass composites with laser-induced periodic crystalline patterns that exhibit second harmonic generation, revealing potential applications in nonlinear optics.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method to produce glass nano/microcrystal composites with self-organized periodic patterns capable of second harmonic generation.

Findings

Periodic crystalline patterns with 0.5-2μm spacing were formed by laser irradiation.

The composites exhibited second harmonic signals at 1064 nm.

Optical diffraction confirmed the presence of self-organized microcrystalline structures.

Abstract

Transparent SrO-0.5Li2O-4.5B2O3 (SLBO) and BaO-0.5Na2O-4.5B2O3 (BNBO) glasses were fabricated via the conventional melt-quenching technique. The amorphous and glassy characteristics of the as-quenched samples were respectively confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) studies. Optically clear SLBO and BNBO glass nano/microcrystal composites were obtained by heat-treating the as-quenched glasses slightly above their respective glass transition temperatures. These glass nano/microcrystal composites exhibited second harmonic signals in transmission mode when exposed to infrared laser beam at \lambda =1064 nm. Interestingly second-harmonic waves were found to undergo optical diffraction and was attributed to the presence of self-organized microcrystalline patterns associated with 0.5-2\mu m periodicities.