| 摘要 |
The lasing efficiency of a dopant-containing laser oxide material, such as neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet, is maximized by locating the dopant ions in a single selected site of the crystal structure of the laser oxide material. This selected site is characterized by being substantially free of defects caused by anion or anion-related impurities in the crystal. The selectively located dopant ions subsequently produce a preferential radiative energy transition upon energetic excitation of the laser oxide material, which maximizes the lasing efficiency of this laser oxide material. In a preferred process embodiment, a dopant-containing laser oxide material in powder form is placed in a crystal growth chamber and is heated in a reactive atmosphere comprising atomic oxygen, which reacts with and removes water and water-derived impurities from the powder. Then, the powder is melted and a crystal of the dopant-containing laser oxide material is grown from the melt, under the reactive atmosphere. |
