NSF Award
0319327
This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will develop next-generation ceramic materials for high-energy laser applications. The significance of this innovation include (1) high concentration doping capability; (2) a comprehensive doping material and concentration screening which can be easily and timely accomplished; (3) an innovative material system capable of multifunction performance; (4) a unique ceramic material which is very low-cost. Success in the ceramic laser material development will lead to an exciting new family of luminescent ceramics capable of delivering high efficiency lasers at many different wavelengths. In the project the tasks will involve predetermining the dopant materials, sintering the PLZT powders including optimization, combinatorial screening of the materials coupled with characterization to identify the optimum composition.<br/><br/>Commercially, the technology developed in this program will greatly benefit many technology sectors. High efficiency laser materials developed from this project would lead to high power and low cost solid-state laser systems that would have tremendous strategic and commercial values to military and civilian applications. These include remote sensing, target recognition and detection, missile guidance illumination, measurements from air- and space-borne platforms, multiple wavelengths next-generation measurement systems, and industrial laser machining.
