Abstract

We have developed a new growth technique for large KDP crystals for laser fusion experiments, the electrodialysis method. This method has many advantages compared with conventional growth methods. It is a constant temperature method, and the supersaturation is easily controlled by only an electric current. As the KDP material can be added during the growth period, the growth tank can be made smaller than that of the temperature reduction method.¹ So it is very suitable for growing large KDP crystals. But the method presented in Ref. 1 has been proved to have a defect in that the spurious crystals were generated on the ion exchange membranes after an approximately one-month growth term, and we could not help stopping the growth after two or three months. We have modified the growth chamber and have succeeded in using it for a long run by introducing a temperature difference method in the growth chambers.

© 1985 Optical Society of America