Method for the Fabrication of Transparent YAG Materials
ID# 2006-3198
Technology Summary
The patented invention covers a method of manufacture of transparent yttrium aluminum garnet. This invention relates to a method for making green parts made of YAG using tape casting. These green parts are further processed to produce fully dense, transparent YAG parts. These materials may be pure YAG or YAG doped with rare earth ions to enhance their optical properties.
Application & Market Utility
Transparent ceramics have commercial applications in the field of optical materials. These applications include use as host crystals in solid state lasers, and IR windows and domes. Important properties for materials in these applications include high thermal conductivity, strong crystal fields, and optical transmission over a broad spectral range. Yittrium aluminum garnet (YAG) is an excellent candidate material for these applications. Advantages include shorter processing time over single crystal fabrication, significantly lower expense, greater flexibility in defining size and shape, high thermal conductivity, strong crystal fields, and optical transmission over a broad spectral range.
Next Steps
Sample transfer and evaluation of issued US Patent No. 7,799,267