Method for making low-stress large-volume crystals with reduced stress birefringence and more uniform refractive index and crystals made thereby

摘要

The method produces low-stress, large-volume crystals with low birefringence and uniform index of refraction. The method includes growing the crystal with larger than desired dimensions including diameter and height from a me cooling and tempering the crystal with the larger than desired dimensions and after the cooling and tempering removing edge regions of the crystal with the larger than desired dimensions so that a diameter reduction and a height reduction of at least five percent occurs respectively and so that the crystal has the desired dimensions of diameter and height. No further tempering takes place after removing of the edge regions.