METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SOLID-STATE LASER ELEMENT Russian patent published in 2008 - IPC H01S3/16 

FIELD: laser engineering.

SUBSTANCE: proposed method for manufacturing solid-state laser element involves production of porous tetraethoxysilane matrix using sol-gel synthesis, proportion of source reaction mixture components being as follows, volume percent:: tetraethoxysilane, 30-33; water, 24-27; concentrated nitric acid, 2-3; formamide, 16-18, ethanol, the rest up to 100; this mixture is poured after hydrolysis at room temperature in rectangular neutral dishes, each one is first tightly covered with neutral film. In two or three days holes are made to evaporate liquid products of reaction mixture; gel obtained in the process is dried out for 1-3 weeks at 40 °C to produce solid porous matrix. The latter is given heat treatment by heating at rate of 30 °C per hour from room temperature to 600 °C followed by cooling down at rate of 50 °C per hour to room temperature. First alternative method includes preparation of vinyl ethoxysilane sol solution after heat treatment of porous matrix, proportion of components being as follows, volume percent: vinyl triethoxysinale, 52-54; 0.5% solution of concentrated nitric acid, 15-17; ethanol, the rest up to 100; hydrolysis stage is followed by adding rhodamine 101T dye in amount of 0.51-0.52 g/l to sol solution, and mixture obtained is introduced by way of impregnation into pores of mentioned tetraethoxysilane matrix, the latter being placed into reservoir filled with this mixture. Reservoir is covered with neutral film having small hole, then dyed sol solution penetrated into pores and that remaining outside of matrix is subjected to polycondensation and drying at room temperature for two or three weeks. After that matrix is extracted from surrounding mixture at definite visually determined initial moment of mixture thickening, matrix surface is cleaned mechanically and by means of ethanol, dried out at 40 °C for 23-25 h, whereupon processes of impregnating this matrix with dyed sol solution, polycondensation, matrix extraction from mixture, cleaning, and drying is repeated. Another alternative method includes addition of phenalemine 512 dye in amount of 0.34-0.35 g/l in sol solution upon hydrolysis stage and mixture obtained is introduced by impregnation into pores of mentioned tetraethoxysilane matrix.

EFFECT: enhanced efficiency and generating photostability dictating service life of solid-state laser element.

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