Stimulated Raman Scattering in Melilite‐Type Crystals Ca2MgSi2O7 and Ca2Ga2SiO7

χ(3)‐nonlinear optical interactions in two melilite‐type stimulated Raman scattering (SRS)‐active non‐centrosymmetric crystals, Ca2MgSi2O7 and Ca2Ga2SiO7, formerly known as Nd3+‐laser media, are presented. Under picosecond pumping at 1.064 and 0.532 µm cascaded and cross‐cascaded effects occur in these tetragonal silicates. Besides the SRS‐promoting phonon modes with energy of ωSRS1 ≈ 908 cm−1 and ωSRS2 ≈ 668 cm−1 for Ca2MgSi2O7, and ωSRS1 ≈ 720 cm−1 and ωSRS2 ≈ 550 cm−1 for Ca2Ga2SiO7, respectively, combined phonon modes are observed. For Ca2MgSi2O7 new data in a broad wavelength range of refractive indices and their dispersion are given as well. The observed χ(3)‐nonlinear properties expand the functionality of the studied silicates and foreshadow their use in self‐frequency Raman laser converters (self‐SRS lasers)

Structural investigations of the tetraborates MB4O7 M Pb, Sr, Ba

The crystal structures of the tetraborates MB4O7 were investigated at room temperature for M Sr, Pb, Ba and at 100 K for M Pb, Ba. The influence of the lone electron pair of Pb2 in PbB4O7 can be studied by comparing the isostructural compounds PbB4O7 and SrB4O7. The lone pair shows a clear displacement of the lead atom which increases upon cooling. In contrast with the Sr and Pb compounds, BaB4O7 crystallizes in a centrosymmetric structure. However, this structure seems to be on the border of stability, as we find strong internal stres

Dielectric constants of BaO and melilites and the oxide additivity rule

The constant-stress "free" dielectric constants and dissipation factors of BaO and a series of X_2YZ_2O_7 melilites were measured at 1 MHz using a two-terminal method and empirically determined edge corrections. The results are: BaO K = 31.1 Ca_2MgSi_2O_7 K^T_a = 11.83 K^T_c = 7.97 Ca_2CoSi_2O_7 K^T_a = 12.44 K^T_c = 9.00 Ca_2ZnSi_2O_7 K^T_a = 12.03 K^T_c = 8.21 Sr_2CoSi_2O_7 K^T_a = 8.93 K^T_c = 6.87 Ba_2MgGe_2O_7:Nd,Ce = K^T_a = K^T_c= 7.51. The discrepancies between measured dielectric polarizabilities as determined from the Clausius-Mosotti equation and those calculated from the sum of oxide polarizabilities according to ɑ_D(X_2YZ_2O_7) = 2 ɑ_D(XO) + ɑ_D(YO) + 2 α_D(Z0_2) are + 13.6 to + 16.0% for Ca-containing melilites, + 6.1% for Sr_2CoSi_2O_7 and + 1.0% for Ba_(1.92)Nd_(0.04)Ce_(0.04)MgGe_2O_7. The deviations from additivity in the Ca- and Sr-melilites are believed to result from structural misfit between the alkaline earth X ion and the YZ_2O_7 layers which leads to rattling X ions