Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of producing a product through additive manufacturing with heat treatment. The method involves using a fusing beam to melt powder particles disposed on a substrate, where the fusing beam is impressed with a two dimensional pattern containing image information from a first layer to be printed. The fused powder particles are then heat treated with a beam impressed with an additional two dimensional pattern. The additional two dimensional pattern has image information from the first layer to achieve heat treatment of the product. The heat treatment is completed prior to laying down additional new layers of material. The heat treatment is an annealing operation.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for manufacturing a part via an additive manufacturing process. A solution is used which has a volatile component within which is suspended particles of a powdered material. The solution is heated until it at least one of begins boiling or is about to begin boiling. The heated solution is then deposited at least at one location on a substrate to help form a layer of the part. The volatile component then evaporates, leaving only the particles of powdered material. The particles are then heated to the melting point. The deposition and heating operations are repeated to successively form a plurality of layers for the part. The evaporation of the volatile component helps to cool the part.

Abstract: To enable several orders of magnitude increases in average power and energy handling capability of Faraday rotators, the technology utilizes high speed gas cooling to efficiently remove thermal loading from the Faraday optic faces while minimizing the thermal wavefront and thermal birefringence by creating a longitudinal thermal gradient. A recirculating gas cooling manifold accelerates the gas over the surface of the slab to create a turbulent flow condition which maximizes the surface cooling rate. The technology further provides a spatially uniform thermal profile on the Faraday slabs.

Abstract: A method of additive manufacture is disclosed. The method may include providing a powder bed and directing a shaped laser beam pulse train consisting of one or more pulses and having a flux greater than 20 kW/cm2 at a defined two dimensional region of the powder bed. This minimizes adverse laser plasma effects during the process of melting and fusing powder within the defined two dimensional region.

Abstract: A method of additive manufacture is disclosed. The method can include providing an enclosure surrounding a powder bed and having an atmosphere including helium gas. A high flux laser beam is directed at a defined two dimensional region of the powder bed. Powder is melted and fused within the defined two dimensional region, with less than 50% by weight of the powder particles being displaced into any defined two dimensional region that shares an edge or corner with the defined two dimensional region where powder melting and fusing occurs.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of producing a product through additive manufacturing with heat treatment. The method involves using a fusing beam to melt powder particles disposed on a substrate, where the fusing beam is impressed with a two dimensional pattern containing image information from a first layer to be printed. The fused powder particles are then heat treated with a beam impressed with an additional two dimensional pattern. The additional two dimensional pattern has image information from the first layer to achieve heat treatment of the product. The heat treatment is completed prior to laying down additional new layers of material. The heat treatment is an annealing operation.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for scaling the average power of high-energy solid-state lasers to high values of average output power while maintaining high efficiency. An exemplary technique combines a gas-cooled-slab amplifier architecture with a pattern of amplifier pumping and extraction in which pumping is continuous and in which only a small fraction of the energy stored in the amplifier is extracted on any one pulse. Efficient operation is achieved by propagating many pulses through the amplifier during each period equal to the fluorescence decay time of the gain medium, so that the preponderance of the energy cycled through the upper laser level decays through extraction by the amplified pulses rather than through fluorescence decay.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for additively manufacturing a product in a layer-by-layer sequence, wherein the product is formed using powder particles deposited on an interface layer of a substrate. A laser generates first and second beam components, where the second beam component has a substantially higher power level and a substantially shorter duration than the first beam component. A mask is used to create a 2D optical pattern in which only select portions of the first and second beam components are allowed to irradiate the powdered particles. The first beam component heats the powder particles at least to substantially a melting point, at which point the particles begin to experience surface tension forces relative to the interface layer.

Abstract: A system for additive manufacturing uses a pulsed laser beam with one or more low flux components on the order of kW/cm2, and one or more high flux components on the order of MW/cm2 during the duration of the pulse. The pulsed laser beam is directed onto the powder particles on the substrate thereby melting the powder particles and melting the substrate at the interface layer between the powder and the substrate such that the powder particles bond to the substrate. This is accomplished by using low power (and low cost) lasers to do the majority of the energy transfer, and using high power (and higher cost) lasers to complete the melting process, overcoming the kinetics of powder agglomeration through surface tension forces by partially melting the powder-substrate interface layer before surface tension can take effect on the molten powder particles.

Abstract: A system for melting powdered material and bonding it to the substrate below such as could be used for the additive manufacturing of a product includes a substrate, powder particles on the substrate, a pulsed laser that produces a pulsed laser beam with one or more low flux components on the order of kW/cm?2, and one or more high flux components on the order of MW/cm?2 during the duration of the pulse. The pulsed laser beam is directed onto the powder particles on the substrate thereby melting the powder particles and melting the substrate at the interface layer between the powder and the substrate such that the powder particles bond to the substrate. The laser further can be spatially patterned through the use of a mask such that portions of the laser pulse can be transmitted to the powder to be melted, and other portions can be rejected to prevent melting of the powder in desired locations.

Abstract: A composition of matter is provided having the general chemical formula K(H,D)2P(16Ox,18Oy)4, where x<0.998 or y>0.002, and x+y?1. Additionally, a method of fabricating an optical material by growth from solution is provided. The method includes providing a solution including a predetermined percentage of (H,D)216O and a predetermined percentage of (H,D)218O, providing a seed crystal, and supporting the seed crystal on a platform. The method also includes immersing the seed crystal in the solution and forming the optical material. The optical material has the general chemical formula K(H,D)2P(16Ox,18Oy)4, where x<0.998 or y>0.002, and x+y?1.

Abstract: A laser amplifier system includes a gain medium having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of sides substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The laser amplifier system also includes a waveguide having a plurality of inner surfaces. Each of the inner surfaces is optically coupled to one of the plurality of sides of the gain medium. The waveguide also includes a plurality of outer surfaces. The laser amplifier system further includes a cladding optically coupled to the outer surfaces of the waveguide.

Abstract: An architecture for a fusion power plant is disclosed. The plant includes a fusion chamber for producing neutrons from a fusion reaction, and a laser system in which lasers are arranged about a vacuum chamber to provide energy to the fusion chamber to initiate the fusion reaction. The beam paths between the lasers and the fusion chamber are configured to prevent neutrons from the fusion chamber from reaching the laser system at a level that would preclude human access to the laser system.

Abstract: A composition of matter is provided having the general chemical formula K(H,D)2P(16Ox,18Oy)4, where x<0.998 or y>0.002, and x+y?1. Additionally, a method of fabricating an optical material by growth from solution is provided. The method includes providing a solution including a predetermined percentage of (H,D)216O and a predetermined percentage of (H,D)218O, providing a seed crystal, and supporting the seed crystal on a platform. The method also includes immersing the seed crystal in the solution and forming the optical material. The optical material has the general chemical formula K(H,D)2P(16Ox,18Oy)4, where x<0.998 or y>0.002, and x+y?1.

Abstract: A composition of matter is provided having the general chemical formula K(H,D)2P(16Ox,18Oy)4, where x<0.998 or y>0.002, and x+y?1. Additionally, a method of fabricating an optical material by growth from solution is provided. The method includes providing a solution including a predetermined percentage of (H,D)216O and a predetermined percentage of (H,D)218O, providing a seed crystal, and supporting the seed crystal on a platform. The method also includes immersing the seed crystal in the solution and forming the optical material. The optical material has the general chemical formula K(H,D)2P(16Ox,18Oy)4, where x<0.998 or y>0.002, and x+y?1.

Abstract: An electro-optic device includes an electro-optic crystal having a predetermined thickness, a first face and a second face. The electro-optic device also includes a first electrode substrate disposed opposing the first face. The first electrode substrate includes a first substrate material having a first thickness and a first electrode coating coupled to the first substrate material. The electro-optic device further includes a second electrode substrate disposed opposing the second face. The second electrode substrate includes a second substrate material having a second thickness and a second electrode coating coupled to the second substrate material. The electro-optic device additionally includes a voltage source electrically coupled to the first electrode coating and the second electrode coating.

Abstract: A composition of matter is provided having the general chemical formula K(H,D)2P(16Ox,18Oy)4, where x<0.998 or y>0.002, and x+y?1. Additionally, a method of fabricating an optical material by growth from solution is provided. The method includes providing a solution including a predetermined percentage of (H,D)216O and a predetermined percentage of (H,D)218O, providing a seed crystal, and supporting the seed crystal on a platform. The method also includes immersing the seed crystal in the solution and forming the optical material. The optical material has the general chemical formula K(H,D)2P(16Ox,18Oy)4, where x<0.998 or y>0.002, and x+y?1.

Abstract: An electro-optic device includes an electro-optic crystal having a predetermined thickness, a first face and a second face. The electro-optic device also includes a first electrode substrate disposed opposing the first face. The first electrode substrate includes a first substrate material having a first thickness and a first electrode coating coupled to the first substrate material. The electro-optic device further includes a second electrode substrate disposed opposing the second face. The second electrode substrate includes a second substrate material having a second thickness and a second electrode coating coupled to the second substrate material. The electro-optic device additionally includes a voltage source electrically coupled to the first electrode coating and the second electrode coating.