Method and system for suppression of stimulated Raman scattering in laser materials

• US 8,588,261 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2011
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Caird, John A., Bayramian, Andrew J., Ebbers, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahvazi, Bijan
• Application Number:
  US13/048,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20120236882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 252/582, 252/584, 372/3, 372/9, 372/20, 372/21, 372/108
• US Class Current: 372/9
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 17/00 Single-crystal growth onto a seed which remains in the melt during growth, e.g. Nacken-Kyropoulos method C30B15/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/14 Phosphates
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/22 Complex oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 7/00 Single-crystal growth from solutions using solvents which are liquid at normal temperature, e.g. aqueous solutions from molten solvents C30B9/00; by normal or gradient freezing C30B11/00; under a protective fluid C30B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/005 made of photonic crystals or photonic band gap materials photonic band-gap structures or photonic lattices in integrated optics G02B6/1225; photonic band-gap structures or photonic lattices in optical fibres G02B6/02295
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/354 Third or higher harmonic generation
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3551 Crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/37 for second-harmonic generation G02F1/3532 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2301/03 Suppression of nonlinear conversion, e.g. specific design to suppress for example stimulated brillouin scattering [SBS], mainly in optical fibres in combination with multimode pumping
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/005 Optical devices external to the laser cavity, specially adapted for lasers, e.g. for homogenisation of the beam or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping shaping laser beam for working metal or other materials B23K26/06; optical elements, systems or apparatus in general G02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/163 characterised by a crystal matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1643 YAG
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1645 halide
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1685 Ceramics

Abstract

A composition of matter is provided having the general chemical formula K(H,D)₂P(¹⁶O_x,¹⁸O_y)₄, where x<0.998 or y>0.002, and x+y≈1. Additionally, a method of fabricating an optical material by growth from solution is provided. The method includes providing a solution including a predetermined percentage of (H,D)₂¹⁶O and a predetermined percentage of (H,D)₂¹⁸O, providing a seed crystal, and supporting the seed crystal on a platform. The method also includes immersing the seed crystal in the solution and forming the optical material. The optical material has the general chemical formula K(H,D)₂P(¹⁶O_x,¹⁸O_y)₄, where x<0.998 or y>0.002, and x+y≈1.

Claims

1. A composition of matter having the general chemical formula comprising K(H,D)₂P(¹⁶O_x,¹⁸O_y)₄, where x<

0.998 or y>

0.002, and x+y≈

1.

2. The composition of matter of claim 1, wherein (H,D) is substantially H.

3. The composition of matter of claim 1, wherein (H,D) is substantially D.

4. The composition of matter of claim 1, wherein (H,D) is substantially 30% H and 70% D.

5. The composition of matter of claim 1, wherein x<

0.99, y>

0.01.

6. The composition of matter of claim 5, wherein x≈

0.5 and y≈

0.5.

7. The composition of matter of claim 1, wherein x+y≈

1.

8. The composition of matter of claim 1, further comprising ¹⁷O in place of all or part of at least one of the ¹⁶O or ¹⁸O component.

9. The composition of matter of claim 1, wherein the composition of matter comprises at least one of a crystalline or ceramic structure.

10. The composition of matter of claim 1, wherein a Raman gain coefficient of the composition is at least 10% less than a Raman gain coefficient of a material characterized by natural oxygen isotopic abundances.

11. A method of fabricating an optical material by growth from solution, the method comprising:

providing a solution including a predetermined percentage of (H,D)₂¹⁶O and a predetermined percentage of (H,D)₂¹⁸O;

providing a seed crystal;

supporting the seed crystal on a platform;

immersing the seed crystal in the solution; and

forming the optical material, wherein the optical material has the general chemical formula comprising K(H,D)₂P(¹⁶O_x,¹⁸O_y)₄, where x<

0.998 or y>

0.002, and x+y≈

1.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the predetermined percentage of (H,D)₂¹⁶O is less than 99% and the predetermined percentage of (H,D)₂¹⁸O is greater than 1%.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the optical material comprises a crystalline structure.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the predetermined percentage of (H,D)₂¹⁶O ranges from about 99% to about 50%; and

the predetermined percentage of (H,D)₂¹⁸O ranges from about 1% to about 50%.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the predetermined percentage of (H,D)₂¹⁶O is about 50%; and

the predetermined percentage of (H,D)₂¹⁸O is about 50%.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the optical material includes ¹⁷O partially or fully substituted for at least one of ¹⁶O or ¹⁸O.