A study of the laser induced damage threshold (LiDT) of anti-reflection (AR) microstructures (ARMs) built in the end
facets of metal ion doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser gain material, has been conducted. Test samples of
undoped and ytterbium-doped polycrystalline YAG produced by Raytheon Company were processed with ARMs in one
surface and subjected to standardized pulsed LiDT testing at the near-infrared (NIR) wavelength of 1064nm. As
received YAG samples with a simple commercial polish were also submitted to the damage tests for comparison, along
with YAG samples that were treated with a single layer thin-film AR coating designed for maximum transmission at
1064nm. Additional samples of single crystal sapphire and quartz, and polycrystalline ALONTM windows were prepared
with thin-film AR coatings and ARMs textures to expand the 1064nm laser damage testing to other important NIR
transmitting materials. It was found that the pulsed laser damage resistance of ARMs textured ceramic YAG windows
is 11 J/cm2, a value that is 43% higher than untreated ceramic YAG windows, suggesting that ARMs fabrication
removed residual sub-surface damage, a factor that has been shown to be important for increasing the damage resistance
of an optic. This conclusion is also supported by the high damage threshold values found with the single layer AR
coatings on ceramic YAG where the coatings may have shielded the sub-surface polishing damage. Testing results for
the highly polished sapphire windows also support the notion that better surface preparation produces higher damage
resistance. The damage threshold for untreated sapphire windows exceeded 32 J/cm2 for one sample with an average of
27.5 J/cm2 for the two samples tested. The ARMs-treated sapphire windows had similar damage thresholds as the
untreated material, averaging 24.9 J/cm2, a value 1.5 to 2 times higher than the damage threshold of the thin film AR
coated sapphire windows.
Ceramic laser gain materials have been in development since the 1960's but it was not until the
resurgence in research and development in the 1990's that they showcased equivalent laser performance
to their single crystal counterparts. Ceramics offer numerous distinctive advantages over single crystal
and are considered to be the key enabler in power scaling of solid state lasers. Ceramics can be made
larger, at lower cost, and with additional degrees of engineering design freedom than single crystals, such
as higher doping concentration, more uniform or tailored distribution of dopants, and feasibility to be
fabricated into monolithic composite structures without bonding. At Raytheon, powder processing
methodology has matured to meet the optical requirement, scale-up challenge, and laser performance
characteristics in Yb, Nd, and Er doped ceramic YAG materials. This communication presents the latest
results obtained by Raytheon on the US fabricated ceramic laser materials.
Optical quality ceramic Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (YAG, Y3Al5O12) materials for high power solid state lasers are being developed at Raytheon. The remaining challenge for ceramic gain materials is elimination of residual absorption and scattering centers. At Raytheon, significant progress has been achieved in the optical quality improvement, scale-up, and demonstration of laser quality Yb, Nd, and Er doped ceramic YAG materials. This communication presents Raytheon's current development status in ceramic YAG fabrication and doped ceramic YAG material characteristics.
Currently available IR transparent materials typically exhibit a trade-off between optical performance and mechanical strength. For instance, sapphire domes are very strong, but lack full transparency throughout the 3-5 micron mid-wave IR band. Yttria is fully transparent from 3-5 microns, but lacks sufficient strength, hardness, and thermal shock resistance for the most demanding aero-thermal applications. Missile system designers must limit system performance in order to accommodate the shortcomings of available window and dome materials. Recent work in the area of nanocomposite ceramics may produce new materials that exhibit both excellent optical transparency and high strength, opening the door to improved missile performance. The requirements for optical nanocomposite ceramics will be presented and recent work in producing such materials will be discussed.
An efficient microchip laser utilizing domestically fabricated ceramic Yb:YAG is presented. In continuous-wave
(cw) and Q-switched operation, the laser maintains linear polarization with 22 dB extinction and oscillates in the
fundamental TEM00 mode. In cw mode, the ceramic laser has an output power of 2.25 W and a slope efficiency of 66%.
When passively Q-switched at 11.4 kHz repetition rate using Cr:YAG, the 1.9 ns pulse has an average power of 0.72 W
and a slope efficiency of 46%. To our knowledge, this is currently the highest reported power from a ceramic Yb:YAG
laser. The laser performance of the 5-at.% ceramic is compared to a 10-at.% single crystal, and we discuss how the
scattering loss and storage efficiency of the ceramic medium affect its laser characteristics.
Optical quality polycrystalline yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) materials suitable for laser gain application have been under development at Raytheon Advanced Materials Laboratory since late 2003. Significant progress has been achieved in the optical quality improvement, scale-up, Yb and Nd dopant incorporation, and various characterizations. This communication discusses Raytheon's ongoing developments in laser quality ceramic YAG fabrication and its characteristics in comparison to the current state of the art ceramic YAG made by Konoshima Chemical in Japan.
An efficient microchip laser utilizing domestically fabricated ceramic Yb:YAG is presented. In continuous-wave (cw) and Q-switched operation, the laser maintains linear polarization with 22 dB extinction and oscillates in the fundamental TEM00 mode. In cw mode, the ceramic laser has an output power of 2.25 W and a slope efficiency of 66%. When passively Q-switched at 11.4 kHz repetition rate using Cr:YAG, the 1.9 ns pulse has an average power of 0.72 W and a slope efficiency of 46%. To our knowledge, this is currently the highest reported power from a ceramic Yb:YAG laser. The laser performance of the 5-at.% ceramic is compared to a 10-at.% single crystal, and we discuss how the scattering loss and storage efficiency of the ceramic medium affect its laser characteristics.
New materials with improved mechanical properties and high optical transmission in the full 3-5 micron MWIR region wavelength are required. Commercially available polycrystalline transparent Yttria, with >100 micron average grain size, does not perform satisfactorily in demanding applications because of its modest strength. One way to improve strength is to develop an ultra-fine grained material with acceptable optical transmission properties. To realize fine grains it is necessary to use other phases to inhibit grain growth during fabrication. A promising processing method comprises: (a) synthesis of an extended metastable solid solution by plasma melting and quenching, and (b) consolidation of the metastable ceramic powder to form dense submicron-grained (<1 micron) composites. Two ceramic composites containing 20 and 50 vol% of second phase are evaluated in this study. Optical transmission, hardness, and indentation fracture toughness are measured and correlated with structure.
With the ever increasing demands for optical quality YAG, ceramic laser gain materials present attractive advantages in design, fabrication, and cost without any penalty in performance compared to their single crystal counterparts. Due to intrinsic differences in the production method, ceramic gain media can be fabricated faster, larger, more affordably, and at higher and more uniform doping. This investigation into polycrystalline YAG included optical, mechanical, and microstructural characterization -- focusing primarily on Konoshima Chemical Company ceramic YAG, the current global state of the art.
Refractive index matching glass coatings have been applied to mechanically-ground sapphire blanks using a modified glazing technique. The as-fired coatings are optically clear and well adhered, producing coated sapphire windows with up to 88 percent in-line transmittance and excellent optical imaging characteristics. Coated sapphire windows up to 150 x 230 mm in size have been produced, with additional scale-up to at least 300 x 350 mm planned for the near future. Glass-coated sapphire (GCS) can be rapidly polished in a small fraction of the time required for sapphire itself, thereby substantially reducing the cost of transparent armor. Glass-coated sapphire windows are also being evaluated for precision airborne reconnaissance and FLIR systems, to determine the limits, if any, to transmitted wavefront quality. The feasibility of applying index matching glass coatings to sapphire dome shapes has also been demonstrated. Index matching glass has also been used as a bonding material to fabricate actively cooled sapphire windows with internal channels for hypersonic missiles.
Large area sapphire windows have been fabricated by edge-bonding multiple panes. A 4-pane edge-bonded 320 x 410 x 7 mm sapphire window with excellent optical characteristics has been successfully finished. Two different bonding methods were used to build up the 4-pane window blank. Pairs of commercially available EFG sapphire panes were first bonded using a 1500°C bonding process. The bonded pairs were then joined using a 1100°C process. Bond strengths for the two methods are approximately 130 MPa (20 kpsi). Optical finishing was completed using standard methods for sapphire with no significant increase in finishing time caused by the bonds. There are no deleterious optical effects or visible optical distortion due to the bond lines. The edge bonding technology can now produce 600 x 600 mm flat window blanks. Conformal windows have also been produced using the edge bonding method. Very high bond strengths of 250 MPa (37 kpsi) have been attained on smaller samples using an optimized solid ceramic fillet.
KEYWORDS: Actuators, Ferroelectric materials, Composites, Electrodes, Ceramics, Sensors, Crystals, Temperature metrology, Aerospace engineering, Control systems
Active fiber composites (AFCs) find applications in a variety of industrial, commercial, and aerospace markets as both actuators and sensors. Among the key attributes of AFCs relative to conventional monolithic piezoceramic actuators are high strain energy density, unidirectional response, conformability, and robustness. Recently, performance enhancements in AFCs have been demonstrated through the use of a modified injection molding process to produce piezoceramic modules with multiple identical fibers of a uniform rectangular cross section. AFC actuators made from Type II PZT fiber modules exhibit free micro-strains of 1830 ± 30 ppm at a peak-peak E-field drive of 26.1 kV/cm, and show exceptional part-to-part uniformity. In addition, AFCs made from injection molded PMN-PT fiber modules show a low-field d33 of 650 pm/V. The successful incorporation of PMN-PT materials into AFCs also demonstrates the viability of using highly textured ceramic PMN-PT piezofibers, for which even larger increases in strain response are expected.
The results of fracture testing are usuaJly documented in terms of a measured strength, M ? where designates the arithmetic average of the recorded peak stresses at failure, and io represents the standard deviation. This "strength" '7M does not provide an objective measure of the intrinsic strength since M depends on the test method and the size of the volume or the surface subjected to tensile stresses. In this paper, we take advantage of Weibull's the- ory of fracture for providing an improved description of the failure statistics of sapphire test specimens subjected to biaxial stresses. For that purpose, we make use of the results of "ring-on-ring" flexural testing that was carried out over a period of 18 years at mechanical test facilities operated by the Southern Research Institute (SoRI), the University of Massachusetts (UMass), and the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI). Experiments were conducted, at room temperature, on test specimens supplied by two vendors and included mechanically polished as well as compressively coated specimens in the form of planar disks of different crystallographic orientation. Since equibiaxial flexure testing has now been adopted as the preferred method for assessing the strength of ceramics, we describe the failure probability in terms of a characteristic strength—i. e. , the effective strength for a 1-cm2 uniformly stressed area—, which allows one to evaluate the effective strength under different experimental conditions if the Weibuil modulus is available. The characteristic strengths (oc) and Weibull moduli (m) are predicated on a two-parameter model and validate the applicability of the area scaling law. Specifically, we conclude that: (a) The characteristic strength of polished c-plane sapphire is of the order of 975 MPa (140 kpsi) and the Weibull modulus is close to 3.4. (b) The strength of r-plane sapphire is substantially lower (oc 550 MPa 80 kpsi), but so is the scatter (m 4.1). And (c) strongly adhering compressive coatings can augment the strength by as much as 60 %,in accord with predictions based on simple fracture-mechanical considerations.
High strength edge bonds between individual sapphire components have been developed as a means to produce affordable large area windows. Several bonding methods have been demonstrated, with bond fracture strengths ranging from 100-200 MPa. When polished, the bonded windows show excellent transmittance with no degradation in transmitted wavefront quality. The bonding processes have recently been scaled up to 355mm wide, 10mm thick bond lines and multipane windows. Using singly-curved sapphire components for the individual panes, doubly-curved bonded sapphire components have also been produced and polished with excellent results. The edge bonding approach shows promise for fabricating affordable sapphire windows up to 750mm diameter. In addition, recent developments with index-matching glass coatings show the feasibility of substantial cost reductions in optical finishing of sapphire windows, particularly for transparent armor.
With the objective of producing affordable large area windows, high strength edge bonds between individual sapphire components have been developed. Several bonding methods have been demonstrated, with bond fracture strengths ranging from 100 - 200 MPa. The directed energy process, which yields the strongest bonds, has produced bonded sapphire components 600 mm long and 3 mm thick with a 75 mm wide bond line. When polished, the bonded windows show no degradation in transmittance or transmitted wavefront quality. The processes have recently been scaled up to 355 m wide, 10 mm thick bonds lines and multipane window blanks. In addition, doubly-curved bonded sapphire components have been produced and polished with excellent results, using singly curved sapphire components for the individual panes. The edge bonding approaches shows promise for fabricating affordable sapphire windows up to 750 mm diameter.
Stacks are a popular form of piezoelectric actuation. Unfortunately with this type of actuation architecture the long lengths normally required to obtain necessary displacements can pose packaging and buckling problems. To overcome these limitations, a new architecture for piezoelectric actuators has been developed called telescopic. The basic design consists of concentric shells interconnected by end-caps which alternate in placement between the two axial ends of the shells. This leads to a linear displacement amplification at the cost of force; yet the force remains at the same magnitude as a stack and significantly higher than bender type architectures. This paper describes the fabrication and experimental characterization of three different telescopic prototypes. The actuator prototypes discussed in this paper mark a definitive step forward in fabrication techniques for complex piezoceramic structures. Materials Systems Inc. has developed an injection molding process that produced a functional, five-tube, monolithic telescopic actuator. A three-tube, monolithic actuator was fabricated using a novel polymerization technique developed at the University of Michigan. As a benchmark, a third actuator was built from off-the-shelf tubes that were joined with aluminum end-caps. Each prototype's free deflection behavior was experimentally characterized and the results of the testing are presented within this paper.
High strength edge bonds have been achieved between individual sapphire components, showing promise for fabricating window blanks up to 600 mm diameter or larger in size. Several bonding methods were investigated, with a directed-energy diffusion-bonding method yielding components with bond fracture strengths of 200 MPa. Bonded sapphire components 600 mm long and 3 mm thick with a 75 mm wide bond line have been produced. When polished, the bonded windows show no degradation in transmittance or transmitted wavefront quality. Process scale up to larger bonds lines is planned. Mechanical and optical characterizations of sub- scale edge-bonded sapphire windows are presented.
The property enhancement offered by single crystal relaxor ferroelectrics combined with the manufacturability advantages offered by injection molding has the potential of producing single crystal 1-3 piezocomposites at an affordable production-viable rate. Two methods of texturization/recrystallization are being evaluated: an integrated multi-seed process and epitaxial growth. The integrated seed approach involves incorporation of oriented single crystal PMN-PT seeds into injection molding feedstock prior to fabrication of 1-3 ceramic preforms. After sintering, an additional texturization and growth step is carried out. This step is intended to drive recrystallization at multiple sites within the ceramic body extending the oriented texture throughout the matrix. The epitaxial growth approach involves nucleation and growth in the dense ceramic body initiated from a compatible external seed crystal. Recrystallization is achieved through direct contact between a ceramic preform and a seed substrate coupled with appropriate thermal and atmospheric growth conditions.
Smart materials based on 1-3 piezocomposite transducers, capable of both sensing and actuation, are being developed for active control applications. Large area, low profile SmartPanels, consisting of 1-3 piezocomposite actuators and pressure sensors and net-shape-molded PZT accelerometers, have been fabricated and evaluated for surface mounted boundary control applications. Single layer and two-layer 100 X 100 mm and 250 X 250 mm SmartPanels have been tested for actuator authority, surface displacement uniformity, sensor-actuator coupling, and surface vibration reduction. Single layer SmartPanels have shown broad band 20 dB surface vibration reduction.
Ceramics injection molding technology is being adapted for the fabrication of net shape piezoelectric actuators of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and lead magnesium niobate (PMN). INjection molding offers low cost, high quality actuator components with a high degree of part-of-part reproducibility. Configurations under investigation include a proprietary high displacement linear element, air acoustic actuators, tube array actuators, benders, and various multilayer designs. Applications include conformable unidirectional patches for active noise and vibration control, high displacement bender actuators for active vortex generators and synthetic jets, high force-high displacement actuators for rotorblade flaps, and air acoustic actuators for active noise reduction.
Piezocomposite SmartPanels, consisting of 1-3 actuators and pressure sensors and net-shape PZT accelerometers in a large area, low profile panel, have been fabricated and evaluated. Single layer and two-layer 100 x 100 mm and 250 x 250 mm SmartPanels have been tested for actuator authority, surface displacement uniformity, sensor-actuator coupling, and surface vibration reduction. Single layer SmartPanels have demonstrated a broad band 20 dB underwater surface vibration reduction. Current development activities include electronics integration for surface mounted SmartPanels and investigation of SmartPads in hybrid active-passive vibration isolation mounts. SmartPanels draw upon PZT injection molding technology, which is used to produce cost- effective and robust 1-3 piezocomposite materials. The piezocomposites are used extensively for SonoPanel transducers in a number of sensor and actuator applications. SonoPanels are qualified for US Navy applications, based on successful completion of pressure and shock tests, and are available in sizes up to 750 x 750 mm. Applications and performance for SmartPanels and SonoPanels are descried, including multi-element arrays, velocity sensors, and underwater vibration and noise reduction devices.
The sudden exposure to a supersonic flight environment subjects a missile window, or missile dome, to intense convective heat loads stemming from the rise in temperature of the boundary layer. The thermal response of the window then results in temperature gradients through the thickness, which generate transient stresses that may exceed the tensile strength of the material, thus causing thermal shock induced fracture. Since most of the materials that possess favorable optical properties in the infrared (IR) are relatively weak brittle solids, the problem of selecting window/dome materials and assessing their performance on a fly-out trajectory requires a careful evaluation of the window's ability to withstand thermally induced shocks. In this context, it is essential to keep in mind that the transient stress intensity depends on the nature of the heat flow as characterized by the Biot number (Bi). The allowable heat flux depends not only on intrinsic material properties but also on the heat-transfer coefficient if the condition Bi greater than 1 holds, or the thickness of the window if the condition Bi less than 1 applies. In a first approximation, the thermal shock performance of a 'thick' window will be controlled by the figure of merit (FoM)Bi greater than 1 equals RH, i.e., the Hasselman parameter for strong shocks; in a thermally thin regime, however, the appropriate figure of merit is (FoM)Bi less than 1 equals sigmafnR'H with n equals 1/2 for flat plates and n equals 2/3 for hemispherical shells, and not the Hasselman parameter R'H for mild shocks. Judging from the results of thermal shock testing performed elsewhere, we conclude that in a laminar flow environment the allowable heat flux on a thermally thin IR dome can be expressed as follows: Qlim equals 2R'H/L, where L is the dome thickness. This expression provides a direct means of obtaining the Mach altitude failure line for a dome of given thickness and given radius, if the initial wall temperature is known. Furthermore, it then becomes straightforward to assess the thermal shock resistance capability of a thickness-optimized IR dome either in terms of the allowable heat load or, more simply, the allowable stagnation temperature.
Piezocomposite SmartPanelsTM, consisting of 1-3 actuators and pressure sensors and net-shape-molded PZT accelerometers in a large area low profile panel, have been fabricated at Materials Systems Inc. and evaluated at the Naval Research Laboratory. Single layer and two-layer 100 X 100 mm SmartPanels have been tested for sensor sensitivities, actuator authority, surface displacement uniformity, and sensor-actuator coupling. Multilayer GRP circuits boards are used both as stiff faceplates and to provide electrical connections and ground planes. The SmartPanel technology has recently been scaled up to 250 X 250 mm devices. SmartPanels draw upon PZT (lead zirconate titanate) ceramic injection molding technology, which is used to produce cost-effective and robust 1-3 piezoelectric ceramic-polymer composite materials. The 1-3 materials are used extensively for SonoPanelTM transducers in a number of sensor and actuator applications. SonoPanels have been qualified for US Navy applications, based on successful completion of pressure and shock tests, and are currently being scaled up from 250 X 250 mm to 750 X 750 mm panels. Several applications for SmartPanels and SonoPanels are described, including conformable transducers, multielement arrays, pressure sensors, and velocity sensors.
A new class of composite materials designated as the 1-3 piezocomposite is being investigated for potential use in underwater smart material structures. In-water acoustical properties of new 1-3 composite panels were examined experimentally as a function of temperature, pressure and frequency. The measured transmitting voltage response (TVR) showed the existence of parasitic modes in the composite panel in addition to the expected thickness mode. The effect of underwater explosive shock on the TVR showed no detrimental effects in mechanical structure or acoustical performance of the piezocomposite panel. The free-field voltage sensitivity was constant at -185 dB referenced to 1 volt per micropascal over the testing frequency range. Linearity with electrical drive level and pressure stability of the 1-3 piezocomposites have also been established with the present choice of ceramic-polymer components. These results demonstrated that this new material is potentially used for applications of both large-area actuators and sensors in forming active surfaces of new smart structures.
A cost-effective technology has been developed for producing 1-3 piezoelectric ceramic/polymer composites for active surface control. SonoPanelTM 1-3 piezocomposite transducers consist of an array of piezoelectric ceramic rods in a polymer matrix. Stiff face plates are bonded to the composite for stress amplification when used as a sensor and to enhance surface response uniformity when used as an actuator. Many piezocomposite design variations have been produced for specific applications. The key technology in SonoPanelTM manufacturing is the PZT ceramic injection molding process. Using this process, an entire array of piezoelectric ceramic rods are molded in one operation using specially designed tooling. Injection molded PZT preforms are formed at a rate of one per minute. Several thousand components with excellent piezoelectric properties and part-to-part reproducibility have been manufactured to date. The piezocomposite fabrication process has been scaled up for low volume manufacturing. More than thirty 250 X 250 mm SonoPanelTM transducers have been produced and evaluated. The transducers show high receiving voltage sensitivity and transmitting voltage response as well as symmetrical beam patterns. Next generation SonoPanelTM transducers, with materials and designs optimized for Navy systems, are under development, including advanced panels for active surface control. The devices incorporate actuators, pressure sensors, and velocity sensors--all made from 1-3 composite materials--into an autonomous smart panel.
This paper describes a fabrication approach for producing high-sensitivity low-cost accelerometers. This approach offers the potential for intrinsically combining accelerometers as a dense array within an actuator. Hence sensing and actuation functions can be combined into one co-formed inexpensive transducer array. Results are presented which show that the combined transducer has predictable properties and is well suited for use in sensing, actuation, and active-control applications.
A manufacturing capability has been established for 1-3 PZT-polymer composite materials and transducers. Uniform arrays of identical PZT rods are formed by a cost-effective ceramic injection molding process. Sintered and poled 1-3 ceramic preforms, containing 361 PZT rods 1.1 mm diameter on a 50 mm square base plate, are arranged to produce 15 or 30 PZT volume percent composite materials with a hard or soft polymeric matrix. More than 2000 identical PZT preforms were produced and more than thirty 250 mm square SonoPanel transducers have been manufactured. The transducers have been found to be well suited for a variety of underwater acoustic applications. Fifteen SonoPanels have been incorporated into a 3 X 5 array as part of a Navy system demonstration.
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