The hydrothermal crystal growth technique is developed for the growth of epitaxial single crystal layers on YAG. High
quality epitaxial layers of functionalized layers can be grown using Y2O3 doped with the desired ion and Al2O3 as
feedstocks in water between 600-650°C at 1 kbar pressure, with a mineralizer of 1-4M K2CO3.The epitaxial layers are
doped with a variety of doping ions that enable a number of optical functionalities. These include undoped regions to
serve as endcaps, Q-switching regions, ASE suppression cladding layers, waveguide layers and a number of other
applications. Different layers can be grown sequentially on the same crystal to create multifunctional single crystals.
Epitaxial layers have been grown on both {111} and {100} faces with rates of growth being {100}>{111}>{110}.
Growth rates range typically from 25 to 100 microns per day but faster and slower rates have been observed. The
technique is not restricted to YAG and can be extended to any oxide hosts that can be grown hydrothermally. Work is
being extended to LuAG, YVO4 and M2O3 (M = Lu, Sc).The techniques presented here can address
long-standing
performance issues associated with solid-state laser materials; when combined with crystal joining technologies, new
crystal functionalities emerge that can further improve solid-state laser performance; we refer to this new generation of
laser crystals as "smart".
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