Ultrafine powders and their use as lasing media

US6656588B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN · US

Inventors

• Richard M. Laine · Ann Arbor, US
• Stephen C. Rand · Ann Arbor, US
• Thomas Hinklin · Sandy, US
• Guy R. Williams · Schaumburg, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 30, 2001
• Grant date: Dec 2, 2003
• Expiry date: Jul 30, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T428/2991
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Doped, nanosize metal oxide particles have been shown to exhibit stimulated emission and continuous-wave laser action when energized appropriately, for example by electron beams. The doped particles are useful as solid state lasing devices and “laser paints”. Particles containing homogeneously distributed dopant atoms in concentrations greater than the thermodynamic solubility in the metal oxide matrix, and having in some circumstances, unusual oxidation states, have been produced.