Skip to Content
Chiron Series Pockels Cells product image

Chiron Pockels Cells

The Chiron Pockels cell series are designed for high power and high repetition frequencies of up to 1 MHz at a low operating voltage. In addition, these Pockels cells operate in the 200–1650 nm wavelength range with active apertures of up to 7 mm.

Full Product Description
Optical material:
BBO
Wavelength:
200-1650 nm
Contrast Ratio:
>5000:1
Active Aperture:
9.25–19.5 mm
Repetition Rate:
1 MHz
Single Pass Distortion:
<λ/6 @ 1064 nm
DC quarter-wave voltage:
2.0–4.7 kV @ 1064 nm
Request a quote

Need a product customized?

We can customize our products to fit your requirements.

Find out more

Product description

Each Chiron Pockels cell utilizes a Beta Barium Borate (BBO) crystal, a high temperature growth material that exhibits > 98% transmission in the UV to NIR wavelength range. Possessing low piezoelectric coupling coefficients, BBO allows the Chiron Pockels cell to operate at high repetition rates up to 1 MHz with no piezoelectric ringing. Further, by taking advantage of the dual crystal geometry of BBO, the Chiron series have a reduced driving quarter wave voltage while maintaining a voltage contrast ratio greater than 1000:1 at 1064 nm.

The Chiron series is ideal for high average power systems due to low absorption that results in reduced thermal lensing and reduced depolarization. Low absorption is achieved with superior crystal quality and we can accomplish this by utilizing proprietary techniques for crystal growing, fabrication, and polishing techniques to provide reliable, high performing Pockels cells.

Options

  • Triple BBO crystal for reduced DC quarter wave voltage available
  • Conventional threaded connectors

Applications

  • Q-switching
  • Regenerative amplification
  • High pulse repetition rate micro-machining lasers
  • High-average power lasers (material processing, metal annealing)
  • Medical devices (e.g. ophthalmology)
  • Military defense

Key features

  • High pulse rate operation up to 1 MHz
  • Intrinsic contrast ratio >1000:1
  • Voltage contrast ratio >1000:1
  • Low acoustic noise
  • Reduced DC quarter wave voltage from dual crystal geometry

Specifications

NameValue
Optical materialBBO
Wavelength200-1650 nm
Contrast Ratio>5000:1
Active Aperture9.25–19.5 mm
Repetition Rate1 MHz
Single pass insertion loss<1.5%@1064 nm
Voltage contrast ratio (VCR)>1000:1 @ 1064 nm (parallel polarizers)
Single Pass Distortion<λ/6 @ 1064 nm
Capacitance (DC)4 pF
DC quarter-wave voltage2.0–4.7 kV @ 1064 nm
Rise time~ 1 ns (10-90% rise time (theoretical) into 50 Ω line)
LIDT> 10 J/cm² (1064 nm, 10 ns pulse, 10 Hz, 1 mm diameter)
Operating temperature15°–35° C
Storage temperature-55°–85° C
HumidityNon-condensing environment
Duty cycle<20%

NOTE: All Specifications above are "Typical Performance" values.

Typical specificationsChiron 2.6Chiron 3Chiron 4Chiron 5Chiron 7
PHYSICAL
Hard aperture diameter2.6 mm3.25 mm4 mm5.5 mm7 mm
ELECTRICAL
DC quarter wave voltage @ 1064 nm2.0 kV2.3 kV3.0 kV3.7 kV4.7 kV