LASER WITH A MONOCRYSTALLINE YALO :Nd ACTIVE MEDIUM

• US 3,719,901 A
• Filed: 03/12/1971
• Issued: 03/06/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Marvin J. Weber, Michael Bass, Roch R. Monchamp
• Original Assignee: Marvin J. Weber, Michael Bass, Roch R. Monchamp
• Inventors: Monchamp, Roch R., Weber, Marvin J., Bass, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Wibert, Ronald L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Webster, R. J.
• Application Number:
  US05/123,635
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 331/94.5 252/301.4
• US Class Current: 372/41
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/16 Solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1638 YAlO3 (YALO or YAP, Yttrium Aluminium Perovskite)

Abstract

Nd 3 ions serve as a dopant in monocrystalline YAlO3 forming an active solid state lasing medium.

Claims

1. A single crystal composition of matter consisting of a solid rare earth orthoaluminate doped with rare earth ions, said crystal having an orthorombic lattice structure and enclosing a volume at least equal to 1 cubic centimeter, and having a maximum dimension substantially greater than 1 centimeter.

2. A single crystal composition of matter in accordance with claim 1 wherein said rare earth dopant comprises trivalent neodymium.

3. A single crystal composition of matter in accordance with claim 2 wherein said rare earth orthoaluminate is yttrium orthoaluminate.

4. A composition of matter comprising a solid solution of neodymium ions in crystalline yttrium orthoaluminate wherein said yttrium orthoaluminate comprises a single crystal body, and encloses a volume at least equal to 1 cubic centimeter and has a maximum dimension substantially greater than 1 centimeter.

5. A composition of matter in accordance with claim 4 wherein said neodymium ions are trivalent.

6. A composition of matter in accordance with claim 5 wherein said crystal lattice structure is orthorhombic.

7. A composition of matter comprising a solid solution of yttrium orthoaluminate doped with trivalent neodymium and trivalent chromium ions wherein said yttrium orthoaluminate is an anisotropic orthorhombic single crystal body, and encloses a volume at least equal to 1 cubic centimeter and has a maximum dimension substantially greater than 1 centimeter.

8. An active laser medium consisting of the composition of trivalent neodymium within the concentration range from 1 X 1019 ions per cubic centimeter to 2 X 1021 ions per cubic centimeter in a single crystal body of anisotropic orthorhombic yttrium orthoaluminate, said body having a maximum dimension substantially greater than 1 centimeter and enclosing a volume at least equal to 1 cubic centimeter.

9. A fluorescent crystalline composition of matter consisting of a single crystal body of solid YAlO3 enclosing a volume at least equal to 1 cubic centimeter a maximum dimension substantially greater than 1centimeter doped with Nd 3 ions within the concentration range from 1 X 1019 ions per cubic centimeter to 2 X 1021 ions per cubic centimeter.

10. A fluorescent crystalline composition of matter consisting of a single crystal body of solid YAlO3 enclosing a volume at least equal to 1 cubic centimeter a maximum dimension substantially greater than 1 centimeter doped with Nd 3 Cr 3 ions, in which the Nd 3 ions are in the concentration range from 1 X 1019 ions per cubic centimeter to 2 X 1021 ions per cubic centimeter, and in which the Cr 3 ions are within the concentration range from 1 X 105 ions per cubic centimeter to 1 X 1021 ions per cubic centimeter.

11. An active laser medium consisting of the composition of trivalent neodymium and trivalent chromium in a single crystal body of anisotropic orthorhomic crystalline yttrium orthoaluminate enclosing a volume at least equal to 1 cubic centimeter and having a maximum dimension substantially greater than 1 centimeter, the neodymium being within the concentration range from 1 X 1019 ions per cubic centimeter to 2 X 1021 ions per cubic centimeter, and the chromium being within the concentration range from 1 X 105 ions per cubic centimeter to 1 X 1021 ions per cubic centimeter.