US 2011/0100548 A1 · Functionally Doped Polycrystalline Ceramic Laser Materials

Abstract

A functionally doped polycrystalline ceramic laser medium and method of making thereof are provided. The medium includes a solid state polycrystalline Ytterbium doped Yttria or Scandia (Yb:Y2O3 or Yb:Sc2O3) laser medium with a discrete or continuous gradient doping profile and methods for manufacturing the same. The doping profile can be two- or three-dimensional and can vary depending upon the laser geometry, the pumping scheme, and the benefits to be desired from the laser medium's structure. The grading direction can be linear, axial, radial, or any combination thereof. The material can be made from a combination of doped and undoped solid shapes, loose powders, and green shapes, and can be diffusion bonded or densified to a desired final shape using techniques such as pressureless sintering, hot pressing, hot forging, spark plasma sintering, and hot isostatic pressing (HIPing), or their combinations.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A method for making a functionally doped polycrystalline ceramic laser medium, comprising:

placing a first doped polycrystalline ceramic material having a first dopant concentration in a die;
placing a second doped solid polycrystalline ceramic materials having a second dopant concentration adjacent the first doped polycrystalline ceramic material, the second dopant concentration being different from the first dopant concentration, at least one of the first and second doped polycrystalline ceramic materials being a solid ceramic material;
and
bonding the first doped polycrystalline ceramic material to the second doped polycrystalline ceramic material to form a single solid material comprising a first doped region and a second doped region, wherein at least one of the first and second doped regions have an average grain size of ≧20 μm, and wherein the first and second doped regions have a stepped doping gradient from the first dopant concentration to the second dopant concentration

1 more element

A method for making a functionally doped polycrystalline ceramic laser medium, comprising:

placing a first doped polycrystalline ceramic material having a first dopant concentration in a die;
placing a second doped solid polycrystalline ceramic material having a second dopant concentration adjacent the first doped polycrystalline ceramic material, the second dopant concentration being different from the first dopant concentration, at least one of the first and second doped polycrystalline ceramic materials being a green body ceramic;
and
bonding the first doped polycrystalline ceramic material to the second doped polycrystalline ceramic material to form a single solid material comprising a first doped region and a second doped region, wherein at least one of the first and second doped regions have an average grain size of ≧20 μm, and wherein the first and second doped regions have a linear doping profile in the form of a continuous gradient from the first dopant concentration to the second dopant concentration.

1 more element

A method for making a functionally doped polycrystalline ceramic laser medium, comprising:

placing a first doped polycrystalline ceramic material having a first dopant concentration in a die;
placing a second doped solid polycrystalline ceramic material having a second dopant concentration into the die adjacent the first doped polycrystalline ceramic material, the second dopant concentration being different from the first dopant concentration, at least one of the first and second doped polycrystalline ceramic materials comprising loose polycrystalline ceramic powders;
and
bonding the first doped polycrystalline ceramic material to the second doped polycrystalline ceramic material to form a single solid material comprising a first doped region and a second doped region, wherein at least one of the first and second doped regions have an average grain size of ≧20 μm, and wherein the first and second doped regions have a linear doping profile in the form of a continuous gradient from the first dopant concentration to the second dopant concentration.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Functionally Doped Polycrystalline Ceramic Laser Materials

Life of this patent

Functionally Doped Polycrystalline Ceramic Laser Materials

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims35