Low-loss spinel windows for high-energy lasers

Woohong Kim; Colin Baker; Guillermo Villalobos; Shyam Bayya; Michael Hunt; Bryan Sadowski; Ishwar Aggarwal; Jasbinder Sanghera

doi:10.1117/12.2176378

22 May 2015 Low-loss spinel windows for high-energy lasers

Woohong Kim, Colin Baker, Guillermo Villalobos, Shyam Bayya, Michael Hunt, Bryan Sadowski, Ishwar Aggarwal, Jasbinder Sanghera

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9453, Window and Dome Technologies and Materials XIV; 945303 (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2176378
Event: SPIE Defense + Security, 2015, Baltimore, MD, United States

Abstract

Ideal exit aperture windows for high-energy laser (HEL) should possess low absorption and scattering losses and be environmentally rugged and strong in order to protect the laser gain medium without compromising the light propagating through the window. Spinel is an ideal candidate for this application due to its high mechanical strength, high thermal conductivity, and excellent optical transmission between 0.2~5 μm. However, spinel ceramics fabricated with commercial powders often show inhomogeneity and suffer from absorption and scattering caused by various types of intrinsic and extrinsic impurities present in the powders. Here, we report on a convenient and economical powder purification method to significantly lower the absorption loss of transparent spinel ceramics using commercial powders. Acid washing was successfully used to reduce absorption loss in spinel ceramic fabricated using commercial powder from >20,000 ppm/cm down to 75 ppm/cm.

Citation Download Citation

Woohong Kim, Colin Baker, Guillermo Villalobos, Shyam Bayya, Michael Hunt, Bryan Sadowski, Ishwar Aggarwal, and Jasbinder Sanghera "Low-loss spinel windows for high-energy lasers", Proc. SPIE 9453, Window and Dome Technologies and Materials XIV, 945303 (22 May 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2176378

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available