Enhanced Laser Damage Threshold in Optically Addressable Light Valves via Aluminum Nitride Photoconductors

Ghandiparsi, Soroush; Chatterjee, Bikram; Shen, Jimmy‐Xuan; Gottlieb, Miranda S.; Frye, Clint D.; Schneider, Joseph D.; Muir, Ryan D.; Buckley, Brandon W.; Harrison, Sara E.; Shao, Qinghui; Varley, Joel B.; Voss, Lars F.

doi:10.1002/admi.202400639

Title: Enhanced Laser Damage Threshold in Optically Addressable Light Valves via Aluminum Nitride Photoconductors

Journal Article · 24 October 2024 · Advanced Materials Interfaces

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202400639 · OSTI ID:2475011

Ghandiparsi, Soroush ^[1]; Chatterjee, Bikram ^[1]; Shen, Jimmy‐Xuan ^[1]; Gottlieb, Miranda S. ^[1]; Frye, Clint D. ^[1]; Schneider, Joseph D. ^[1]; Muir, Ryan D. ^[1]; Buckley, Brandon W. ^[1]; Harrison, Sara E. ^[1]; Shao, Qinghui ^[1];

^[1]; Voss, Lars F. ^[1]

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Optically addressable light valves (OALVs) are specialized optical components utilized for spatial beam shaping in various laser-based applications, including optics damage mitigation, and enhanced functionality in diode-based additive manufacturing requiring high intensities. Current state-of-the-art OALVs employ photoconductors such as Bismuth Silicon Oxide (BSO) or Bismuth Germanium Oxide (BGO), which suffer from limited laser-induced damage thresholds (LiDT) and inadequate thermal conductivities, thus restricting their use in high peak and average power applications. Aluminum nitride (AlN), an emerging ultra-wide band gap (UWBG) III–V semiconductor, offers promising optoelectronic properties and superior thermal conductivity (>300 Wm^-1K^-1 at 298° K, compared to BSO's 3.29 Wm^-1K^-1). In this study, the first AlN-based OALVs are designed, fabricated, and experimentally demonstrated using commercially available single-crystal AlN substrates. These AlN-based OALVs have shown clear superiority over BSO and BGO-based devices. Design considerations for OALVs incorporating UWBG photoconductors are discussed, and the photoresponsivity from defect-mediated sub-bandgap absorption in AlN crystals is verified as sufficient for OALVs operating under high light fluences. The optimum driving voltage for the AlN-based OALV is determined to be ≈ 45 V_pp at 100 Hz, achieving a transmittance of 91.3%, an extinction ratio (ER) of more than 100, and a 51:1 image contrast.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344

OSTI ID:: 2475011

Report Number(s):: LLNL--JRNL-858015; 1088145

Journal Information:: Advanced Materials Interfaces, Journal Name: Advanced Materials Interfaces Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 12; ISSN 2196-7350

Publisher:: Wiley-VCHCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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