STTR Phase II: Novel OptoCeramic Materials for High Efficiency Ceramic Lasers

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目旨在利用第一阶段的成功，即用于高效陶瓷激光器的新型光陶瓷材料。在第一阶段期间，对各项任务进行了调查，并处理了与拟议办法有关的关键问题。 已经进行了广泛的研究，并取得了许多成果，这将是非常有价值的第二阶段计划。本项目研制了掺铒（Er 3+）、掺镱（Yb 3+）、掺铒镱（Er 3 +/Yb 3+）、掺钕（Nd 3+）的透明陶瓷，对陶瓷多功能激光器和电光技术具有重要意义。研究结果表明，Er ~（3+）、Er ~（3+）/Yb ~（3+）、Nd ~（3+）或其它稀土掺杂陶瓷在微片激光器和高功率陶瓷激光器的研制中具有广阔的应用前景。这些基于电光（EO）的稀土掺杂陶瓷将在波长可调谐性和相位和模式自调制方面具有独特的功能，这将导致更高效率，更紧凑和集成多功能的革命性激光系统。 在成功执行第一阶段计划并实现第一阶段目标后，该工作准备扩展到将具有最先进性能的新一代多功能激光基质材料推向市场。该计划中开发的技术将极大地造福于许多技术领域，包括材料加工，激光和发光材料及其应用。从该项目中开发的高效激光材料将是非常有价值的，可以实现高功率和低成本的固态激光系统，这对于军事和民用应用都具有巨大的战略和商业价值。其中包括遥感应用、目标识别和探测、导弹制导照明、机载和星载平台测量、多波长下一代测量系统和工业激光加工。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to capitalize on the Phase I success of Novel OptoCeramic Materials for High Efficiency Ceramic Lasers. During Phase I period, tasks were investigated and critical issues related to the proposed approach were addressed. Extensive research has been conducted and a lot of results have been obtained which will be very valuable for a Phase II program. Erbium (Er3+), ytterbium, erbium-ytterbium (Er3+/Yb3+), and neodymium (Nd3+) doped, transparent ceramics were developed in this program, which will have a great impact to ceramic multi-function lasers and the electro-optic technologies. The results show a promising future for developing microchip and high power ceramic lasers using Er3+, Er3+/Yb3+, Nd3+, or other rare earth doped ceramics. These Electro-Optical (EO)-based, rare earth doped ceramics would have unique features in wavelength tunability and phase and mode self-modulation that will lead to revolutionary laser systems of higher efficiency, more compactness, and integrated multi-functions. After successfully executing the Phase I plan and achieving the Phase I objectives, this work is ready to be extended to bring a new generation multifunction laser host materials with state-of-the-art performance to the marketplace.The technology developed in this program could greatly benefit many technology sectors, including materials processing, laser and luminescent materials and applications. High efficiency laser materials developed from this project would be very valuable by enabling high power and low cost solid state laser systems which have tremendous strategic and commercial values for both military and civilian applications. These include remote-sensing applications, target recognition and detection, missile guidance illumination, measurements from airborne and space-borne platforms, multiple wavelengths next-generation measurement systems, and industrial laser machining.