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Zhang Tong

The shortest wavelength of a laser beam generated from a crystal has been realised in a laboratory at the Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, according to a new paper.
At 158.9 nanometres (nm), it leads to all-solid-state lasers with the highest output energy recorded.
The all-solid-state solution offers a desktop-scale size, lower cost, easier maintenance and performance equal to room-sized laser systems, such as those based on gas plasma and synchrotron radiation.
The breakthrough could find significant applications in quantum computing, space platforms, precision manufacturing and the semiconductor industry.

At the heart of this achievement is ammonium fluorooxoborate (ABF), a crystal designed and cultivated by Chinese scientists over 10 years.
A research team led by institute director Pan Shilie detailed their path-breaking findings in a paper published in Nature on January 28. The researchers said the achievement not only pushed the limits of a shorter wavelength and energy output but also set a world record for conversion efficiency.
An all-solid-state vacuum ultraviolet laser is a type of laser whose core light-emitting component is made of solid material. It produces a sharp and stable beam of light, making it especially useful for cutting-edge science, chip production and highly precise manufacturing.
Such light sources are primarily generated through technology called non-linear optical frequency conversion. This involves irradiating specific crystals with infrared or visible laser light to change the light’s properties, shifting its colour into the ultraviolet range.
The resulting ultraviolet light has a very short wavelength, which means it carries more energy and opens up possibilities for new applications.
The crystal is the core material enabling this laser output. Potassium beryllium fluoroborate, invented by Chinese scientists in the 1990s, has for decades been the only practical crystal capable of producing laser output below 200nm through direct frequency doubling, maintaining a leading global position.
The latest achievement by Pan’s team combines theoretical breakthroughs with the cultivation of the higher-quality ABF.
“The ABF crystal is a novel material, entirely developed and patented by our institute – from initial design to crystal growth, to final laser output,” Pan said in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday.
He detailed records set in three areas, saying: “ABF not only achieves the shortest wavelength but also delivers the highest energy output and conversion efficiency to date.”
Under specific conditions, ABF’s direct frequency doubling produced a record-breaking shortest wavelength of 158.9nm. When the wavelength was extended to 177.3nm, it achieved the highest nanosecond pulse energy of 4.8 millijoules. Concurrently, it reached a laser conversion efficiency of 7.9 per cent, a record for such a laser.
The team first synthesised the ABF compound in 2016 and spent 10 years growing the crystal from the millimetre to centimetre scale.
“Future optimisation of crystal growth and processing techniques is expected to further enhance the laser’s performance,” Pan said.
Beyond providing superior core light sources for existing optical instruments, the team is also contemplating how this laser technology could transform or pioneer entirely new fields.
“China is currently transitioning from a major manufacturing country to a manufacturing powerhouse,” Pan said. “There are many fields where we need to lead and create demand, not simply follow behind the West, responding to their needs.
“We will use this directly generated laser to create new demand. For instance, in future space communications, there are many ‘uncharted territories’.”


Pan may be referring to communication between satellites in future space networks. Vacuum ultraviolet light with wavelengths between 100nm and 200nm is strongly absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere, preventing transmission between ground and satellites, but it can be transmitted efficiently in the vacuum of space between satellites.
In fundamental science, shorter wavelength and higher energy lasers mean greater resolution.
“In superconductivity research, we can see the details that others miss,” Pan said. “This vision helps us drive breakthroughs from their very origin.”
In quantum research, vacuum ultraviolet lasers can be used to precisely manipulate the energy levels of atoms and ions, aiding the development of next-generation quantum computers.


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China’s first-of-a-kind ABF crystal creates most energised solid-state laser beam

The ammonium fluorooxoborate (ABF) crystal is at the heart of a breakthrough by Chinese scientists who say they have attained the shortest wavelength of a laser beam generated from a crystal. Photo: Handout

The team’s achievement combines theoretical breakthroughs with the cultivation of the higher-quality ABF. Photo: Handout

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China

Breakthrough could open possibilities in quantum computing, space platforms, precision manufacturing and the chip industry


Breakthrough could open possibilities in quantum computing, space platforms, precision manufacturing and the chip industry.


China’s first-of-a-kind ABF crystal creates most energised solid-state laser beam

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Breakthrough could open possibilities in quantum computing, space platforms, precision manufacturing and the chip industry

Breakthrough could open possibilities in quantum computing, space platforms, precision manufacturing and the chip industry