Abstract: A wavelength shifting fiber and method of making the same is disclosed. A wavelength shifting fiber can include a plastic core and a coating surrounding the plastic core. The numerical aperture for the wavelength shifting fiber can be at least about 0.53. A method of making a wavelength shifting fiber can include heating and drawing a plastic core precursor to form a plastic core, coating the plastic core with a liquid coating, and curing the liquid coating around the plastic core to form a wavelength shifting fiber.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for growing a sapphire sheet via edge-defined film-fed growth (EFG) including an angled heat shield with respect to the a side surface of a die tip. The present disclosure is further directed to an sapphire sheets and batches of such sheets having features such as a particular maximum low spot thickness.

Abstract: A feed system for a crystal growth apparatus can include a deadsorption unit and a tube. In an embodiment, the deadsorption unit can deadsorb an impurity from a material used to form a crystal. The tube can be fluidly coupled to the deadsorption unit and the crystal growth apparatus to transfer the material from a lower point to a higher point. In another embodiment, any finite number of deadsorption units may be coupled to any finite number of crystal growth apparatuses. In a further embodiment, a crystal growth system can include the feed system and a crystal growth apparatus, wherein the feed system can continuously provide crystal-forming material to the crystal growth apparatus as a crystal is being formed.

Abstract: A method can include deadsorbing an impurity from an initial material to form a deadsorbed material, melting the deadsorbed material to form a melt within the crucible, and growing a crystal from the melt. In an embodiment, growing is performed at a growth rate that is at least 1.1 times a growth rate of a different crystal formed from a melt of the initial material using a same crystal growth technique, having a same cross-sectional shape, size, and crystal orientation, and a same haze level. In another embodiment, the method can include crushing an initial material to reduce closed porosity before or during deadsorbing impurities.

Abstract: A scintillator stack includes a neutron-sensitive particulate material and a scintillator particulate material dispersed in separate layers. The scintillator stack can be included in a scintillator device. The scintillator stack can be made using a co-extrusion method.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for growing a sapphire sheet via edge-defined film-fed growth (EFG) including an angled heat shield with respect to the a side surface of a die tip. The present disclosure is further directed to an sapphire sheets and batches of such sheets having features such as a particular maximum low spot thickness.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for forming sapphire ribbons via Edge-Defined Film-Fed Growth (EFG). Further, the present disclosure is directed to a plurality of concurrently grown sapphire ribbons having features such as a low dimensional variability and elimination of voiding between the sapphire ribbons concurrently grown in a batch.

Abstract: An apparatus, die, and method can be used form a ribbon from a melt, where capillaries are relatively short and spacers are relatively long as compared to a die opening. Such a configuration can cause the melt to flow is a transverse direction that is substantially parallel to the solid/liquid interface to help move impurities to desired locations. In a particular embodiment, a crystal ribbon can be formed where defects, such as microvoids and impurities, are at higher concentrations near outer edges of the crystal ribbon. The outer edges can be removed to produce crystal substrates that are substantially free of microvoids and have no or a relatively low concentration of impurities. In another particular embodiment, the transverse flow can also help to increase the crystal growth rate.

Abstract: Alkali halide crystal is grown from a melt in a novel graphite crucible which has a surface depth region of its inside surface impregnated with glassy carbon to eliminate porosity, so that the melt does not leak through or wet the carbon. Additionally, the graphite may be coated with glassy carbon to provide a smoother surface. Also disclosed is a porous graphite crucible lined with a layer of graphitic pyrolytic carbon to prevent wetting of the surface by the melt and to permit release of the cooled crystal without remelting.

Abstract: Alkali halide crystal is grown from a melt in a novel graphite crucible which has a surface depth region of its inside surface impregnated with glassy carbon to eliminate porosity, so that the melt does not leak through or wet the carbon. Additionally, the graphite may be coated with glassy carbon to provide a smoother surface. Also disclosed is a porous graphite crucible lined with a layer of graphitic pyrolytic carbon to prevent wetting of the surface by the melt and to permit release of the cooled crystal without remelting.