*** ABSTRACT 96-60638 Tsveybak This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I program will develop a new crystal growth process for AgGaS2 single crystals. The excellent nonlinear and optical transmission properties of AgGaS2 make it a unique material for an optical parametric oscillator that can be pumped by a 1.06 (m laser to provide laser radiation continuously tunable from 2.5 to 10 (m. The very promising potential for AgGaS2 crystals for this application has not yet been realized because commercially available crystals are too costly, take too long to produce, and are limited in size. A new crystal growth process for AgGaS2 will be developed during this Phase I effort that will overcome these limitations. An infrared laser source continuously tunable from 2.5 to 10 (m will play an important role in environmental monitoring for chemical species, spectroscopy, microelectronics manufacturing, and optical spectrometers. ***
