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开发超高性能Nd：YVO 4激光晶体的概念，可以通过商业上可行的水热工艺生长。最近，已经开发了使用专有水热生长方法的Nd：YVO 4晶体生长程序。 初步结果表明，低缺陷的Nd：YVO 4可以在~ 500 μ C的水溶液中生长。这些晶体似乎具有非常优越的上级光学性能。水热Nd：YVO 4晶体将使开发新的、更高效率、更高性能、更低成本的二极管泵浦固态激光器成为可能，这些激光器发射波长为1064、532、355、266和190 nm。在这个第一阶段计划中，将开发和优化两种新的水热合成途径来生产单晶Nd：YVO 4，并在可扩展和商业上可行的水热生长过程中生产毫米级晶体。 这些晶体的光学特性将被表征，并将与类似的市售光学材料进行比较。 市场对于Nd：2002年，YVO 4的价格估计在600万美元至1000万美元之间。它几乎是DPSS激光器的理想材料，Nd：YVO 4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，此后每年增长25%。 水热Nd：YVO 4晶体将用于制造更高效率、更高性能、更低成本的二极管泵浦固态激光器;这些激光器将发射1064、532、355、266和190 nm的光。 由于水热Nd：YVO 4晶体的优点和益处，该材料将在大多数（如果不是全部）二极管泵浦固态激光器应用中迅速取代现有的Nd：YVO 4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.