Stress-optic coefficient of potassium terbium fluoride

Stress-optic coefficient of potassium terbium fluoride

Presenter(s)

William B Poston

Description

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.

Publication Date

4-5-2017

Project Designation

Independent Research - Undergraduate

Primary Advisor

Said Elhamri

Primary Advisor's Department

Physics

Keywords

Stander Symposium project

Stress-optic coefficient of potassium terbium fluoride

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