Ferroelectric crystals with giant electro-optic property enabling ultracompact Q-switches

• DOI: 10.1126/science.abn7711
• Publication Date: 2022-04-21T18:32:31Z
• Authors: Xin Liu; Peng Tan; Xue Ma; Danyang Wang; Xinyu Jin; Yao Liu; Bin Xu; Liao Qiao; Chaorui Qiu; Bo Wang; Weigang Zhao; Chaojie Wei; Kexin Song; Haisheng Guo; Xudong Li; Sean Li; Xiaoyong Wei; Long-Qing Chen; Zhuo Xu; Fei Li; Hao Tian; Shujun Zhang
• Keywords: Poling; Electro-optics; Lead titanate

Relaxor-lead titanate (PbTiO3) crystals, which exhibit extremely high piezoelectricity, are believed to possess electro-optic (EO) coefficients. However, the optical transparency of relaxor-PbTiO3 crystals is severely reduced as a result light scattering and reflection by domain walls, limiting applications. Through synergistic design ferroelectric phase, crystal orientation, poling technique, we successfully removed all light-scattering walls achieved an transmittance 99.6% in antireflection film-coated with ultrahigh EO coefficient r33 900 picometers per volt (pm V-1), >30 times that conventionally used crystals. Using these fabricated ultracompact Q-switches require very low driving voltages, superior performance commercial Q-switches. Development materials important for portability voltage devices.