Solid solution-based nanocomposite optical ceramic materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9395467-B2
Application number	US-201314032958-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2013
Priority date	Jun 23, 2010
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

A solid solution-based optical material capable of transmitting infrared light, the solid solution-based optical material comprising at least two nano-sized phases intermixed in one another, wherein at least one of the at least two nano-sized phases is a solid solution containing a dissolved dopant, the dissolved dopant present in an amount sufficient to reduce a refractive index difference between the at least two nano-sized phases to about 0.2 or less when infrared light is being transmitted. Various embodiments are directed to related systems and methods. In one embodiment, the infrared light is visible infrared light, short-wave infrared light, eye safe infrared light, medium wave infrared light, long wave infrared red light, or combinations thereof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solid solution-based optical material capable of transmitting light, the solid solution-based optical material comprising:
a first nano-sized phase having a refractive index of F; and
a second nano-sized phase formed from a base material having a refractive index of B, wherein B differs from F by more than 0.2;
the second nano-sized phase further including a dopant dissolved within the base material, the dopant having a refractive index of D, the dopant having a fractional concentration between (F−0.12−B)/(D−B) and (F+0.12−B)/(D−B).

2. The solid solution-based optical material of claim 1 ,
wherein the fractional concentration of dopant is between (F−0.07−B)/(D−B) and (F+0.07−B)/(D−B).

3. The solid solution-based optical material of claim 1 ,
wherein the fractional concentration of dopant is between (F−0.03−B)/(D−B) and (F+0.03−B)/(D−B).

4. The solid solution-based optical material of claim 1 ,
wherein the fractional concentration of dopant is between (F−0.01−B)/(D−B) and (F+0.01−B)/(D−B).

5. The solid solution-based optical material of claim 1 ,
wherein the fractional concentration of dopant is between (F−0.003−B)/(D−B) and (F+0.003−B)/(D−B).

6. The solid solution-based optical material of claim 1 ,
wherein the fractional concentration of dopant is between (F−0.001−B)/(D−B) and (F+0.001−B)/(D−B).

7. The solid solution-based optical material of claim 1 , wherein:
the first nano-sized phase is Y 2 O 3 , having a refractive index of about 1.847;
the base material is MgO, having a refractive index of about 1.6305;
the dopant is NiO, having a refractive index of about 2.1076; and
the second nano-sized phase includes a concentration of dopant, NiO, dissolved within the base material, MgO.

8. The solid solution-based optical material of claim 7 ,
wherein the fractional concentration of dopant is between 39.1% and 51.6%.

9. The solid solution-based optical material of claim 7 ,
wherein the fractional concentration of dopant is between 43.3% 47.5%.

10. The solid solution-based optical material of claim 7 ,
wherein the fractional concentration of dopant is between 44.7% 46.0%.

11. The solid solution-based optical material of claim 7 ,
wherein the fractional concentration of dopant is between 45.2% and 45.6%.

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Zelinski Brian J
• Gentilman Richard
• Nordahl Christopher Scott
• Hartnett Thomas M

Classifications

• F42B15/34

  Protection against overheating or radiation, e.g. heat shields; Additional cooling arrangements {(thermal protection fitted in or to cosmonautic vehicles B64G1/58)} · CPC title

• C04B2235/9653

  Translucent or transparent ceramics other than alumina · CPC title

• C04B2235/781

  Nanograined materials, i.e. having grain sizes below 100 nm · CPC title

• C04B35/6455

  Hot isostatic pressing · CPC title

• C04B35/053

  Fine ceramics · CPC title