Fiber crystal growth of laser and SHG materials by the micro pulling down method

Single crystal fibers have become the subject of intense study in recent years because of their remarkable characteristics. We have developed a superior growth technique, the micro pulling-down (/spl mu/-PD) method. This method enables us to fabricate new, excellent fibers of oxides, semiconductors and ceramic matrix composites, with high melting temperature and/or incongruent melting composition. Fiber crystals having a small diameter in the range /spl mu/m-mm, grown by the /spl mu/-PD method, exhibit the characteristic features for a wide field of advanced applications. The development of new laser and nonlinear optical crystals also has become a focus of considerable interest because of the progress of optoelectronic technologies. Fiber-form single crystalline materials are of particular interest because of their unique characteristics such as compact size, higher doping concentration, and in some cases novel properties due to their hybrid structure. The /spl mu/-PD method has an important role in this field, and gives us new, excellent optical fiber crystals. The configuration and advantages of the /spl mu/-PD method, and the fabrication of new fiber crystals for optical applications, are described.