AGS Crystals

AGS is transparent from 0.50 to 13.2 µm. Although its nonlinear optical coefficient is the lowest among the mentioned infrared crystals, high short wavelength transparency edging at 550 nm is made use of in OPOs pumped by Nd:YAG laser; in numerous difference frequency mixing experiments with diode, Ti:Sapphire, Nd:YAG and IR dye lasers covering 3–12 µm range; in direct infrared countermeasure systems, and for SHG of CO2 laser. Thin AgGaS2 (AGS) crystal plates are popular for ultrashort pulse generation in mid IR range by difference frequency generation employing NIR wavelength pulses.