Optical gain media configurations that work best for high power lasers, especially thin disk lasers, are not easily fabricated from single crystal boules or through standard hot-pressing techniques. There is a need in the laser industry for a cost-effective method to deposit customized optically active thin films over arbitrary shaped substrates.
Powder atomic layer deposition process is used to coat nanopowders of host materials (e.g. yttrium aluminum garnet) with optically active neodymium organometal precursor followed by O2/O3 RF plasma to convert to a single layer of Nd2O3. The process can be repeated to build arbitrarily thick layers with custom doping profiles and followed by post-deposition sintering to control micro-crystallization.
Current stage of technology development: TRL 3-4
LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2022/0042172 System and Method for Atomic Layer Deposition of Rare Earth Oxides on Optical Grade Materials for Laser Gain Media published 2/10/2022
- Process can generate custom composition optically active thin films for thin disk laser gain media
- Monolayer precision thickness control and composition profile.
- Enables rapid prototyping of new laser gain materials.
- Avoids expensive single crystal growth and thin disk fabrication processes.
Realizing novel compact diode-pumped solid-state laser systems.
