Single phase rare earth oxide-aluminum oxide glasses
AssigneeContainerless Research, Inc.
InventorsJ. K. Richard Weber, Johan G. Abadie, April D. Hixson, Paul C. Nordine
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Abstract
A bulk single phase glass comprising 23 molar % to 50 molar % rare earth oxides, RE203, and 50 molar % to 77 molar % aluminum oxide, A12O3 is provided. The glass contains at least 50 molar % of Al2O3+RE2O3 and smaller amounts of oxide glass forming agents and other oxides than are found in prior art glasses. The addition of small amounts of lanthanum oxide, La2O3, prevents phase separation. The single phase glass is useful for optical applications such as lasers and optical amplifiers.
Claims13
A bulk single phase glass comprising:
- (a) 27 to 50 molar % RE2O3;
- and
- (b) 50-73 molar % Al2O3,
- where RE is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu.
A bulk single phase glass comprising one or more rare earth oxides, aluminum oxide and silicon dioxide wherein the composition lies substantially within the heptagonal region of the ternary composition diagram of the rare earth oxide-alumina-silica system defined by points having the following molar percent compositions:
- 1% RE2O3, 59% Al2O3 and 40% SiO2;
- 1% RE2O3, 71% Al2O3 and 28% SiO2;
- 23% RE2O3 and 77% Al2O3;
- 50% RE2O3 and 50% Al2O3;
- 50% RE2O3 and 50% SiO2;
- 33.33% RE2O3, 33.33% Al2O3 and 33.33% SiO2;
- and 16.67% RE2O3, 50% Al2O3 and 33.33% SiO2.
A bulk single phase glass consisting essentially of:
- (a) 1 to 50 molar % RE2O3;
- (b) 0 to 71 molar % Al2O3;
- (c) 0 to 35 molar % SiO2;
- and
- (d) 0 to 15 molar % other oxides;
- wherein the total concentration of RE2O3 and Al2O3 is at least 55 molar % and wherein RE is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.