ChinaFocus:Chinesescientistsinventultrathinopticalcrystalfornext-generationlasertech_GuangmingOnlineChinaFocus:Chinesescientistsinventultrathinopticalcrystalfornext-generationlasertechThisphototakenonDec.15,2023showsaTwistBoronNitride(TBN)crystalplacedonapieceoffusedsilicainPekingUniversity,Beijing,capitalofChina.AteamofChineseresearchersusedanoveltheorytoinventanewtypeofultrathinopticalcrystalwithhighenergyefficiency,layingthefoundationfornext-generationlasertechnology.(Xinhua/WeiMengjia)BEIJING,Dec.19(Xinhua)--AteamofChineseresearchersusedanoveltheorytoinventanewtypeofultrathinopticalcrystalwithhighenergyefficiency,layingthefoundationfornext-generationlasertechnology.Prof.WangEngefromtheSchoolofPhysics,PekingUniversity,recentlytoldXinhuathattheTwistBoronNitride(TBN)madebytheteam,withamicron-levelthickness,isthethinnestopticalcrystalcurrentlyknownintheworld.Comparedwithtraditionalcrystalsofthesamethickness,itsenergyefficiencyisraisedby100to10,000times.Wang,alsoanacademicianoftheChineseAcademyofSciences,saidthisachievementisanoriginalinnovationbyChinainthetheoryofopticalcrystals,andhascreatedanewfieldofmakingopticalcrystalswithtwo-dimensionalthin-filmmaterialsoflightelements.TheresearchfindingswererecentlypublishedinthejournalPhysicalReviewLetters.Laserisoneoftheunderlyingtechnologiesoftheinformationsociety.Opticalcrystalscanrealizethefunctionsoffrequencyconversion,parametricamplificationandsignalmodulation,tonameafew,andarethekeypartsoflaserdevices.Inthepast60years,theresearchanddevelopmentofopticalcrystalshasbeenmainlyguidedbytwophase-matchingtheoriesproposedbyscientistsintheUnitedStates.However,duetothelimitationsoftraditionaltheorymodelsandmaterialsystems,theexistingcrystalshavestruggledtomeetthefuturerequirementsfordevelopinglaserdevices,suchasminiaturization,highintegrationandfunctionalization.Thedevelopmentofnew-generationlasertechnologyneedsbreakthroughsinopticalcrystaltheoryandmaterials.WangEngeandProf.LiuKaihui,directoroftheInstituteofCondensedMatterandMaterialPhysics,SchoolofPhysics,PekingUniversity,ledtheteamtodevelopthetwist-phase-matchingtheory,thethirdphase-matchingtheorybasedonthelight-elementmaterialsystem."Thelasergeneratedbyopticalcrystalscanbeviewedasamarchingcolumnofindividuals.Thetwistmechanismcanmakeeveryone'sdirectionandpacehighlycoordinated,greatlyimprovingtheenergyconversionefficiencyofthelaser,"explainedLiu,whoisalsodeputydirectoroftheInterdisciplinaryInstituteofLight-ElementQuantumMaterialsattheBeijingHuairouNationalComprehensiveScienceCenter.Theresearchhasopenedupabrand-newdesignmodelandmaterialsystem,andrealizedtheoriginalinnovationofthewholechainfrombasicopticstheorytomaterialscienceandtechnology,hesaid."TheTBNcrystal'sthicknessrangesfrom1to10microns.Thethicknessofopticalcrystalswehadknownbeforeismostlyatthelevelofamillimeterorevencentimeter,"Liuadded.TheTBNproductiontechnologyisnowapplyingforpatentsintheUnitedStates,Britain,Japanandothercountries.TheteamhasmadeaTBNlaserprototypeandisdevelopingnew-generationlasertechnologywithenterprises."Opticalcrystalisthecornerstoneoflasertechnologydevelopment,andthefutureoflasertechnologyisdeterminedbythedesigntheoryandproductiontechnologyofopticalcrystals,"Wangsaid.Withultra-thinsize,excellentintegrationpotentialandnewfunctions,theTBNcrystalisexpectedtoachievenewapplicationbreakthroughsinquantumlightsources,photonicchips,artificialintelligenceandotherfieldsinthefuture,accordingtoWang.ResearchersuseequipmenttoprepareopticalcrystalandtestwavelengthconversionatalabinPekingUniversity,Beijing,capitalofChina,Dec.15,2023.AteamofChineseresearchersusedanoveltheorytoinventanewtypeofultrathinopticalcrystalwithhighenergyefficiency,layingthefoundationfornext-generationlasertechnology.(Xinhua/WeiMengjia)LiuKaihui(front),directoroftheInstituteofCondensedMatterandMaterialPhysics,SchoolofPhysics,PekingUniversity,andothermembersofaresearchteamposeforagroupphotoinPekingUniversity,Beijing,capitalofChina,Dec.15,2023.AteamofChineseresearchersusedanoveltheorytoinventanewtypeofultrathinopticalcrystalwithhighenergyefficiency,layingthefoundationfornext-generationlasertechnology.(Xinhua/WeiMengjia)Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.