TUNABLE SOLID STATE LASER MATERIAL

SPACE POWER, INC. WILL USE A SOLID-STATE LASER TO COVER THE WAVELENGTH RANGE FROM NEAR IR THROUGH VISIBLE TO NEAR UV USING A LASER-TYPE DOPED SILICA SOL-GEL. MATERIALS TEMPERATURE LIMITATIONS PREVIOUSLY PREVENTED THE DOPING OF ORGANIC DYES IN INORGANIC SOLIDS. THE SOL-GEL TECHNIQUE SOLVES THIS PROBLEM. THE RESULTING MATERIAL HAS POTENTIAL ADVANTAGES OVER LIQUID-BASED DYE LASERS WHILE MAINTAINING THEIR TUNABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY. THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT SOLID-STATE DYE LASERS WILL BE MORE EFFICIENT AND HAVE LONGER LIFE THAN LIQUID DYE LASERS. SOL-GEL ALSO HAS FAR BETTER THERMOOPTIC PROPERTIES. THE ADVANTAGES OVER OTHER SILICA FABRICATION METHODS ARE: PRODUCTION OF SILICA GELS AT LOW TEMPERATURE, AND ENABLE FABRICATION OF PURE AND HOMOGENEOUS SAMPLES.