Description of Bismuth Silicate (BSO) Crystal Substrates
Bismuth silicate (Bi12SiO20) single crystal, hereafter referred to as the BSO substrate, is a material that exhibits high photoconductivity and low dark conductivity. These characteristics facilitate the formation of large photoinduced space charges.
The BSO crystal is a photorefractive material with a broad range of applications. It appears as a light yellow photoelectric and electro‐optical crystal. It can be utilised in electro‐optic storage devices (PROM), optical thin‐film waveguides, photorefractive systems and phase conjugation setups.
Specifications of Bismuth Silicate (BSO) Crystal Substrates
Crystal structure:
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Cubic
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Lattice constant:
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a = 10.146 Å
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Growth method:
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Czochralski method
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Melting point:
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930℃
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Density:
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9.2 g/cm³
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Mohs hardness:
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4.5 Mohs
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Dielectric constant:
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εS11/ε0 42.7, εT11/ε0 47.5
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Elastic stiffness coefficient (x10¹¹ N/m²):
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CE11 1.33, CE44 0.25
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Piezoelectric strain constant (C/m²):
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e14 1.01
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Wavelength range (nm):
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470–7500
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Electro‐optic coefficient (x10⁻¹² m/V):
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r41 5
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Refractive index:
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2.45 @ 632.8 nm
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Refractive index gradient (x10⁻⁵/cm):
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< 5 @ 632.8 nm
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Optical activity (mm⁻¹):
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left 20° ~ @632.8 nm
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Transmittance (%):
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69 @ 632.8 nm
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Crystal orientation:
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<100>, <110>, <001> ±0.5°
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Standard sizes:
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45x45x0.5mm, 10x10x0.5mm, 25x25x0.5mm
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Polishing:
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Single-side polished or double-side polished
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Applications of Bismuth Silicate (BSO) Crystal Substrates
- Spatial light modulators
- Optical switches
- Optical Pockels-readout storage (PROM) applications
- Optical waveguides