Stress-optic coefficient of potassium terbium fluoride.

POSTER

Abstract

Potassium terbium fluoride (KTF) is a material proposed to act as an optical isolator. Optical isolators are employed in high power laser systems in which reflected beams must be prevented from coupling into the pump laser. The stress-optic coefficient relates mechanical stress to the birefringence it induces. At high power, strains in the lasing material change the refractive index of the lasing material, which can distort the output beam. The stress-optic coefficient is thus a crucial measurement for the design of laser cavities that employ optical isolators. The stress-optic coefficient for KTF was obtained by applying mechanical stress to a sample and measuring the output intensity of a laser shone through the sample. The change in intensity with applied pressure is a result of the change in refractive index of the sample, through the stress-optic effect. The stress-optic coefficient of KTF was determined and is reported.

Authors

  • William Poston

    Department of Physics, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio

  • Said Elhamri

    Department of Physics, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, Department of Physics, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH 45469

  • Rudrakant Sollapur

    Miami University, The College of Wooster, University of Dayton, Ohio University and Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, J. Stefen Inst., Slovenia, Ohio University, Institute of Physics, University of Belgrade, The University of Akron, Faculty of Physics, University of Belgrade, Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Bowling Green State University, Australian National University, Benet lab, Department of Physics and Electro-Optics Program University of Dayton, Dayton, OH 45469, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, Electro-Optics Program, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH 45469, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Youngstown State University, University of Memphis, TN, Union College Barbourville, KY, Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, WPAFB, OH, Arizona State University, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, WPAFB, OH 45433, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, Case Western Reserve University, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Cleveland, OH, Air Force Research Lab, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, WPAFB, OH, Ohio Northern Univ, University of Notre Dame, Miami Univ, Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology e.V.; and Otto Schott Institute of Material Research, Abbe Center of Photonics, Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology e.V., Institute of Optics and Quantum Electronics, Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University; and Helmholtz Institute Jena, Institute of Optics and Quantum Electronics, Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University