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.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.