Category Archive: Uncategorized

Crystal Growth

ICL celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2012. We have produced quality crystal optics for spectroscopy and CO2 lasers since 1962. ICL operates a vertically integrated crystal optics production plant. We grow our own crystals and we are the only U.S. producer of KBr crystals.

ICL in recent years has made great strides in technological development of its KBr and other crystal products. Refinements in the process of purifying the crystal melt has resulted in a remarkable improvement of crystal quality throughout a typical boule. ICL KBr crystal not only has superior transmission properties, clear of excess interference bands as a result of boron, phosphates, and sulfates. Pure ICL Crystal is used in the worlds best spectrometer beam splitters, compensators, and windows. Production improvements in KCl and NaCl likewise have improved factory output and crystal quality, helping ICL stay a world leader in Infrared Transmission optical crystal growth.

We welcome the opportunity to quote on custom sized optics, coated optics, crystal and other optical materials not listed and optical assemblies such as beam splitters. We can produce optics from crystal materials such as CdMnTe, CdMnHgTe, CdZnTe, CdTe, Si, LiF, CsBr, AgBr, MgF2 as well as from glass and composition materials such as polyethylene, BK-7 and AMTIR.

Crystal Innovation

The ternary compound Cadmium Manganese Telluride (“CMT”) is a magneto-optical material that is ICL’s newest crystal product. This magneto-optical material has a giant Verdetconstant.

Potential applications for this material (as well as CdMnHgTe which is under development ) include Faraday rotation devices (optical isolators in the range 630nm to 1100nm ), LEDs, spintronicss, electro-magnetic interference free devices, field tunable phase shifters, small coupled solar cells for fly-by-light applications, phased array radar with completely fiber-fed antennae, bomb detonators and harsh environment sensors.

Minature Faraday rotation devices are a promising growth field, where precision wavelength filtering and optical rotation boost application performance in many specialty fields. Nedical, Military and Communications are just a few examples. Wavelength-specific crystal performance is optimized by specific formulations of the Cd and Mn balance, then refined by the specific pathlength of the crystal. A minitature platform not compatible with more common Faraday crytals is therefore made possible.

At the optimal composition, absorption does not increase with pathlength (thickness) although transmission will vary. Absorption is composition dependent. The spectral data shown is for a 2mm thick sample. ICL’s standard processing for CdMnTe is flatness of 1 l, parallelism of 30 arc seconds, optical surface quality 60-40, reflection loss with broadband AR coating < 0.05% @ 880-1100nm, Max. Ø 19mm.

ICL Acquires Gemini Scientific

11/21/2012 – ICL Acquires Gemini ScientificICL Acquires Gemini Scientific

International Crystal Laboratories (ICL) has acquired Gemini Scientific (Gemini), Buena Park, CA, U.S.A. Gemini specializes in the manufacture of high quality gas cells for FTIR spectroscopy. ICL manufactures spectroscopy accessories as well as crystal optics and II-VI semiconductors for spectroscopy, lasers, optical isolators and other Faraday devices and radiation detectors. Steven T. Hanst, the CEO of Gemini, will serve as Executive Vice President and COO of ICL and will relocate to ICL’s New Jersey headquarters.

ICL plans to distribute Gemini’s products through its extensive international dealer network.
www.gascell.com