La3Ga5M0.5Sn0.5O14, (M = Ge, Si): Design and Synthesis of Two Langasite Nonlinear Optical Materials with Large Second Harmonic Generation and Birefringence Induced by Distorted (Sn/M)O6 Octahedra

Nonlinear optical (NLO) coherent light sources are widely applied in many areas of science and technology. As the core medium, the NLO material is required to have a wide transparent range, a large NLO response, and a high laser damaged threshold (LDT). It is common knowledge that langasite (La3Ga5SiO14, LGS) crystal has an underdeveloped second-harmonic generation (SHG) coefficient and a small birefringence, which seriously restrict its application in the NLO field, despite that it has a broad transmittance spectrum and a moderate LDT. Herein, we have successfully obtained novel langasite NLO crystals LGSS (La3Ga5Si0.5Sn0.5O14) and LGGS (La3Ga5Ge0.5Sn0.5O14), with short UV absorption edges of 209 and 212 nm, respectively. Incorporating heavy ions Sn4+ into the structure, a distorted BO6 octahedron was adjusted by the radius difference between Sn4+ and Si4+/Ge4+, which caused the strong SHG responses in LGSS (∼10.77 × KDP) and LGGS (∼9.23 × KDP) and increased birefringences of 0.034 and 0.025, respectively. Besides, they also had large energy band gaps (4.95 eV for LGSS, and 4.93 eV for LGGS), which allowed high LDTs with LGSS of 1.3 GW/cm2 and LGGS of 813 MW/cm2. This work demonstrates a new strategy to enhance SHG responses and birefringence for existing NLO materials and enriches langasite family crystals.

Van der Waals quaternary oxides for tunable low-loss anisotropic polaritonics

The discovery of ultraconfined polaritons with extreme anisotropy in a number of van der Waals (vdW) materials has unlocked new prospects for nanophotonic and optoelectronic applications. However, the range of suitable materials for specific applications remains limited. Here we introduce tellurite molybdenum quaternary oxides-which possess non-centrosymmetric crystal structures and extraordinary nonlinear optical properties-as a highly promising vdW family of materials for tunable low-loss anisotropic polaritonics. By employing chemical flux growth and exfoliation techniques, we successfully fabricate high-quality vdW layers of various compounds, including MgTeMoO6, ZnTeMoO6, MnTeMoO6 and CdTeMoO6. We show that these quaternary vdW oxides possess two distinct types of in-plane anisotropic polaritons: slab-confined and edge-confined modes. By leveraging metal cation substitutions, we establish a systematic strategy to finely tune the in-plane polariton propagation, resulting in the selective emergence of circular, elliptical or hyperbolic polariton dispersion, accompanied by ultraslow group velocities (0.0003c) and long lifetimes (5 ps). Moreover, Reststrahlen bands of these quaternary oxides naturally overlap that of α-MoO3, providing opportunities for integration. As an example, we demonstrate that combining α-MoO3 (an in-plane hyperbolic material) with CdTeMoO6 (an in-plane isotropic material) in a heterostructure facilitates collimated, diffractionless polariton propagation. Quaternary oxides expand the family of anisotropic vdW polaritons considerably, and with it, the range of nanophotonics applications that can be envisioned.

Cd2 Nb2 Te4 O15 : A Novel Pseudo-Aurivillius-Type Tellurite with Unprecedented Nonlinear Optical Properties and Excellent Stability

Oxides are emerging candidates for mid-infrared (mid-IR) nonlinear optical (NLO) materials. However, their intrinsically weak second harmonic generation (SHG) effects hinder their further development. A major design challenge is to increase the nonlinear coefficient while maintaining the broad mid-IR transmission and high laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of the oxides. In this study, it is reported on a polar NLO tellurite, Cd2 Nb2 Te4 O15 (CNTO), featuring a pseudo-Aurivillius-type perovskite layered structure composed of three types of NLO active groups, including CdO6 octahedra, NbO6 octahedra, and TeO4 seesaws. The uniform orientation of the distorted units induces a giant SHG response that is ≈31 times larger than that of KH2 PO4 , the largest value among all reported metal tellurites. Additionally, CNTO exhibits a large band gap (3.75 eV), a wide optical transparency window (0.33-14.5 µm), superior birefringence (0.12@ 546 nm), high LIDT (23 × AgGaS2 ), and strong acid and alkali resistance, indicating its potential as a promising mid-IR NLO material.

Two New Tellurite Halides with Cationic Layers: Syntheses, Structures, and Characterizations of CdPb2Te3O8Cl2 and Cd13Pb8Te14O42Cl14

Two new tellurite halides, CdPb2Te3O8Cl2 and Cd13Pb8Te14O42Cl14 with mixed cationic layered structures, have been synthesized by high-temperature solution method. CdPb2Te3O8Cl2 crystallizes in the noncentrosymmetric Aba2 space group, built by [CdPb2Te3O8]...

Ca3(TeO3)2(MO4) (M = Mo, W): Mid-Infrared Nonlinear Optical Tellurates with Ultrawide Transparency Ranges and Superhigh Laser-Induced mage ThreDasholds

Intense interests in mid-infrared (MIR) nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals have erupted in recent years due to the development of optoelectronic applications ranging from remote monitoring to molecular spectroscopy. Here, two polar crystals Ca₃(TeO₃)₂(MO₄) (M = Mo, W) were grown from TeO₂-MO₃ flux by high-temperature solution methods. Ca₃(TeO₃)₂(MoO₄) and Ca₃(TeO₃)₂(WO₄) are isostructural, which feature novel structures consisting of asymmetric MO₄ tetrahedra and TeO₃ trigonal pyramids. Optical characterizations show that both crystals display ultrawide transparency ranges (279 nm to 5.78 μm and 290 nm to 5.62 μm), especially high optical transmittance over 80% in the important atmospheric transparent window of 3-5 μm, and superhigh laser damage thresholds (1.63 GW/cm² and 1.50 GW/cm²), 54.3 and 50 times larger than that of state-of-the-art MIR NLO AgGaS₂, respectively. Notably, they exhibit the widest band gaps and the loftiest laser-induced threshold damages among the reported tellurates so far. Moreover, Ca₃(TeO₃)₂(MO₄) exhibit type I phase matching at two working wavelengths owing to their large birefringence and strong second-harmonic generation responses from the distorted anions, as further elucidated by the first-principles calculations. The above characteristics indicate that Ca₃(TeO₃)₂(MO₄) crystals are high-performance MIR NLO materials, especially applying in high-power MIR laser operations.

Recent progress in selenite and tellurite based SHG materials

Fluorination and bandgaps have attracted more attention than d⁰ TM and SHG efficiency recently in metal selenites and tellurites.

Investigation into the optimized growth, anisotropic properties and theoretical calculations of the polar material Cs2TeW3O12

Bulk single crystals of Cs₂TeW₃O₁₂ were grown successfully by a modified TSSG method and physical properties were systematically investigated.

PbTeGeO6: polar rosiaite-type germanate featuring a two dimensional layered structure

Polar rosiaite-type germanate PbTeGeO₆ with a layered structure shows a moderate second harmonic generation response.

Ag3I[(MoO3)2(IO3)2]: a new polar material synthesized from the structural modulation of molybdenyl iodate architectures by polarizable cation (Ag+) and anion (I−)

A new noncentrosymmetric compound Ag₃I[(MoO₃)₂(IO₃)₂] has been hydrothermally synthesized and characterized.