DEPOSITION OF NONLINEAR-OPTICAL FILMS OF POTASSIUM TITANYL PHOSPHATE (KTIOPO4) BY PULSED EXCIMER-LASER ABLATION

Nonlinear optical films of potassium titanyl phosphate (KTiOPO4, or KT P) have been, for the first time, fabricated by pulsed excimer laser d eposition on several substrates such as sapphire, Si(100) crystals, an d fused quartz slides. The properties of the deposited KTP films, such as the chemical stoichiometry, crystallinity, effective index of refr action, and Raman response, have been extensively characterized. All o f the results match die values of KTP crystals. The nonlinear optical property of the second harmonic generation of the films has been evalu ated, showing a high efficiency comparable to a bulk value of KTP crys tals. It is suggested that the success of this deposition relies on th e transient congruent process generated by a pulsed UV laser beam.