SBIR Phase I: Hydrothermal Growth of Ultra-High Performance Nd:YVO4 Laser Crystals

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将致力于发展这样一种概念，即可以通过商业上可行的水热工艺生长超高性能的ND：YVO4激光晶体。最近，采用专有水热生长方法的Nd：YVO4晶体生长程序已经开发出来。初步结果表明，在~500微米的水溶液中可以生长出低缺陷的Nd：YVO4晶体。这些晶体似乎具有非常优异的光学性能。水热Nd：YVO4晶体将有助于开发新的、更高效率、更高性能、更低成本的二极管泵浦固体激光器，其发射波长为1064、532、355、266和190 nm。在这一第一阶段计划中，将开发和优化两种新的水热合成方法来生产单晶--Nd：YVO4，该工艺将用于生产毫米级晶体的可规模和商业可行的水热生长工艺。这些晶体的光学性质将被表征，并将与类似的商业可获得的光学材料进行比较。据估计，2002年ND：YVO4的市场价格在6-10美元之间。它几乎是DPSS激光器的理想材料，而且它正迅速成为DPSS激光器制造商的首选材料。预计到2005年，这种材料的增长将达到1600万至2100万美元，此后将以每年25%的速度增长。水热Nd：YVO4晶体将被用来制造更高效率、更高性能、更低成本的二极管泵浦固体激光器；这些激光器将发射1064、532、355、266和190 nm的激光。由于水热Nd：YVO4晶体的优点和益处，这种材料将在大多数(如果不是全部)二极管泵浦的固体激光器应用中迅速取代现有的Nd：YVO4晶体。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will work to develop the concept that ultra-high performance Nd: YVO4 laser crystals can be grown via a commercially viable hydrothermal processes. Recently, Nd: YVO4 crystal growth program using proprietary hydrothermal growth methods has been developed. Preliminary results indicate that low defect Nd: YVO4 can be grown in aqueous base at ~ 500 microC. These crystals appear to have greatly superior optical properties. Hydrothermal Nd: YVO4 crystals will enable the development of new, higher efficiency, higher performance, lower cost diode pumped solid state lasers that emit at 1064, 532, 355, 266, and 190nm. In this Phase I program, two novel hydrothermal synthetic pathways to the production of single crystal, Nd: YVO4, will be developed and optimized at a scaleable and commercially viable hydrothermal growth process for the production of mm-scale crystals. The optical properties of these crystals will be characterized and a comparison will be made against similar commercially available optical materials. The market for Nd: YVO4 in 2002 was estimated to range from $6-$10 MM. It is almost ideal for DPSS lasers, and Nd: YVO4 is rapidly becoming the material of choice for DPSS laser manufacturers. The growth of this material is projected to be $16-$21 MM by 2005, and thereafter at 25% annually. Hydrothermal Nd: YVO4 crystals will be used to make higher efficiency, higher performance, lower cost diode pumped solid state lasers; these lasers will emit at 1064, 532, and 355, 266, and 190 nm. Because of the advantages and benefits of hydrothermal Nd: YVO4 crystals, the material will rapidly displace existing Nd: YVO4 crystals in most, if not all, diode pumped solid-state laser applications.