Thermoplastic Extrusion of Ceramic Preforms for Transparent Lasing Media

Collaborators: Rand Group (U of M), Harrington Group (Rutgers)

Sponsor: Department of Defense (DOD, Joint Technology Office)

Thermoplastic/nanopowder extrusion techniques developed in the Laine group for production of transparent ceramics are ideal for creating near net-shape ceramic monoliths. Extrusion pro-vides low-cost polycrystalline preforms that can then be drawn to single-crystal fiber lasers through laser-heated pedestal growth (LHPG) by the Harrington Group at Rutgers University. Both YAG and α-Al2O3 are being studied in this project. Fiber laser optical properties are then characterized by the Rand group (U of M).