FLUORESCENT CONVERTER APPLICATIONS

TI:A12O3 AND CR:GSGG ARE NEW CRYSTALS USED FOR SOLID STATE LASERS. THEY ALSO OFFER POTENTIAL AS FLUORESCENT CONVERTER MATERIALS. TO DATE EVALUATION OF FLUORESCENT CONVERTER MATERIALS HAS INVOLVED MATERIALS WHICH WERE NOT WELL SUITED FOR THE TASK. THE PROPOSED APPROACH IS AN EFFORT TO SYSTEMATICALLY EVALUATE THESE MATERIALS BY CORRELATING THE CRYSTAL GROWTH PARAMETERS WITH THE PROPERTIES AFFECTING THE FLUORESCENCE CONVERSION. THE SIX-MONTH PROGRAM WILL ALLOW ESTABLISHING FEASIBILITY OF USE OF FLUORESCENCE CONVERTERS BY STUDYING THESE TWO QUITE DIFFERENT MATERIALS AND PRODUCING THEM IN LARGE SIZES SO THAT WIDELY DIFFERENT CAVITY CONFIGURATIONS CAN ALSO BE EVALUATED. IT IS INTENDED TO TAILOR MATERIAL PARAMETERS SUCH THAT THE SPECTRALLY USEFUL RADIATION FOR ND:YAG LASER ROD IS NOT ATTENUATED; HOWEVER, THE SPECTRALLY USELESS RADIATION IS DOWNCONVERTED INTO USEFUL RADIATION.