Research Institute of Synthetic Crystals (RISC) is a high-tech enterprise specialized in researching, manufacturing and developing synthetic crystals materials and their products. RISC has broad developing fields and complete methods for synthesizing crystal materials. Many achievements with advanced levels both at home and abroad were achieved, and dozens of crystal materials with excellent properties and important application prospects have been developed. And 4 predominant subjects such as optoelectronic functional crystal materials, superhard materials, advanced functional composite materials and synthetic mica insulating materials and production capability of a series of products on a scale have been formed. RISC won nearly a hundred prizes at ministry level and above, including 2 first National Scientific and Technological Progress awards; 5 second National Scientific and Technological Progress awards; 2 Dubang Scientific and Technological Innovation awards and National Invention awards, and more than 20 patents were invented.

Opoelectronic Functional Crystals Subject

Explorations and researches on a variety of crystal materials, such as nonlinear optical crystals, infrared crystals, laser crystals, photorefractive crystals, piezoelectric quartz crystal, electro-optical crystals, scintillating crystals, acousto-optic crystals and magneto-optic crystals have been carried out in RISC.A lot of original research achievements were gained, especially the technology for growing KN crystal, polarization technology, technology for growing large-sized LBO crystal with high optical quality and a complete set of flux method for growing KTP crystal used for making electro-optical modulators are all in the lead positions in the world.

“Special Synthetic Quartz Crystal with High Quality” won the second National Scientific and Technological Progress award in 1985; “Optical Quartz Crystal and Piezoelectric Quartz Crystal with High Quality” Dubang Scientific and Technological Innovation award in 2002; “Growing Technology for Nonlinear Optical Crystal – Potassium Niobate (KN)” the first National Scientific and Technological Progress award in 1988; “Growing Technology for Large-sized and High Quality Nonlinear Optical Crystal – Lithium Triborate (LBO)” the first National Scientific and Technological Progress award in 1991 and “KTP Crystal Grown by the sole TSSG” Dubang Scientific and Technological Innovation award in 2001. KTP electro-optic devices suitable for using in high repeated frequency and high peak power laser systems have been developed in recent years, during which “Growing Technology for New and Large-sized Electro-optic KTP Crystal” gained the second National Scientific and Technological Progress award.

The products such as high quality piezoelectric quartz crystal, radiation resistance and space grade quartz crystal and laser grade quartz crystal are also developed and manufactured here. And these products are widely used in the fields of precision optical wafers, body waves and SAW oscillators, resonators and laser gyroscopes, whose various technological properties are up to international advanced levels in the world.

Infrared crystal materials are also developed here, and three serializations have already been come into being, that is, serialization of infrared Crystal Materials varieties, serialization of transmittance wavebands and serialization of preparation Methods.

A lot of products have bee designated as war industry products in the fields of domestic aviation, space flight and weapons and so on.

Superhard Materials Subject

Technological research and practice in the aspects of synthesizing diamond production technology by the belt-type press and complete sets of equipment were carried on in RISC for many years, and 25MN and 60 MN belt-type presses and superhigh pressure toolings winded with wires were successfully researched and developed. Synthetic diamond technology for the belt-type press of our country with our own intellectual property right has been developed. Adopted advanced technology for synthesizing saw blade grade diamonds, production on a large scale was put into effect by using home belt-type press for the first time. And various specifications and mesh sizes single crystal diamonds with high quality and PCD products can be produced according to the market’s demand.

Depending on the key project on National Programme (863), DC plasma-HF CVD method different from growing technology for diamond thick film at home and abroad at present has been developed independently in RISC, which boots the depositing rate and homogeneity of the diamond film greatly and decreases the energy consumption at the same time. A series of technological achievements in the aspects of processing technologies for cutting, polishing and welding diamond film were achieved, and the project on “Preparation of Diamond Film for Industry and Its Application Development” won the second National Scientific and Technological Progress award in 2002. Diamond films can be mass produced in RISC, and production lines for preparation of diamond film materials, PCD and PCBN processing have been set up. The products are widely used in the fields of cutters, wearing devices, high power semiconductor devices, large scale integrated circuits, optoelectronic devices, optical windows and advanced satellite communication, etc.

RISC is one of the earliest units to develop synthetic diamond tool products at home, took the lead in introducing advanced technologies and equipment from foreign countries, such as high power laser processing and welding equipment and equipment for water atomizing alloy powder. And it gained many new and practical patents from the state and state key new products certificates.

Advanced Functional Composite Material Subject

A variety of advanced polycrystalline functional composite materials were developed in RISC, which not only have the same excellent optical properties as single crystals but also have advantages of ceramics materials, such as high strength, low cost, easy molding, so they have become new subjects to be developed rapidly and to be widely used at home and aboard.

The transparent ceramics fabricated by sintering and HIPing (hot isostatic pressure) technique from high pure ultra-fine spinel powders is a kind of transparent polycrystalline material, its visible transmittance exceeds 80%, optical properties of this product have been up to advanced levels in the world, and some properties such as bending strength and so on are superior to the same like products aboard. This material can be used for making substrates for luminous faceplate of CRT, polarimeters of LED and windows of gas detectors, etc.

And superlow thermal expansion transparent glass ceramics developed is not only the first choice material for manufacturing laser gyroscope supporters used for the precision guidance but also an idea material for making large-sized astronomical telescope lens, high temperature electron-optical source glass shells and covers for radar antenna.

GOS scintillating ceramics researched is a new generation of scintillation crystal material, which has the advantages of high optical yield, small walk-off angle and high capability of resistance to radiation damage. It can be widely used in the fields of X-ray CT in the medical treatment, PET, high-energy physics and security checking of the airport, etc.

AlN based ceramic composite material researched and developed with high thermal conductivity, high strength and mechanical feature can be used for making high temperature insulating parts and high temperature resistance and erosion resistance structural parts, etc.

Synthetic Mica Insulating Material Subject

RISC has bee engaged in researches on synthetic mica prepared by the Internal Electric Resistance Melting Method, book-form mica crystal grown by seeding method (multicrucile Bridgman Technique), machinable mica ceramics and comprehensive utilization of scrap mica since 1960s. Production capability of synthetic mica by Internal Electric Resistance Melting Method is over 10 ton per furnace. The area of the largest synthetic mica plate is up to 700cm2. Book-form synthetic mica single crystal produced by seeding method (multicrucile Bridgman Technique) is as large as 240mm x 100mm x 10mm.

Machinable mica ceramic products prepared by RISC have the advantages of high temperature resistance and high insulating as well as good mechanical properties. They are widely used for making frames of gyroscopes, supporters for various precision instruments and sensors, etc.

The project on technological development of Synthetic mica nacreous pigments, supported by National Programme (863), was related to the manufacture of synthetic mica nacreous pigments taking synthetic mica powders as bases. The products can be used in Auto-paints and cosmetics, and can be mass produced in RISC.

Above-mentioned technologies and products occupy dominant positions in the related domestic fields, and have wide application prospects in the fields of machinery, mineral, automobile, electronics, information, spaceflight and aviation. Products made in RISC are sold well to Europe, Japan, United States and Korea, etc.

In the new century, the new technologies including semiconductor laser technology, information technology and nanotechnology are being developed by leaps and bounds, which make RISC to meet an unprecedented challenge and opportunity. Persisting in the ideas of “Encouragement, Unity, Innovation and Development”, RISC will keep up with the times, strive to explore a variety of new functional crystal materials, continue to enlarge new application fields of the crystals available and make great contributions to the industrialization of the synthetic crystal materials of our country and the development of the national economy.