@inproceedings{d6a8207b9713419cba9a44be5a97b14b,
title = "Thermo-chemical strengthening of Nd:YAG laser rods",
abstract = "High power Nd: YAG laser rods may easily exceed their fracture strength as a result of thermally induced tensile stress. Strengthening of such rods is achievable at elevated temperatures by wet chemical etching in concentrated orthophosphoric acid or in a mixture of phosphoric and sulfuric acids. In the present study, the etching rates of Nd:YAG in both etchants were determined as a function of temperature. The calibration curves thus obtained enabled the controlled removal of the outer {"}damaged{"} layer of lasing elements. Four-point flexure strength measurements were performed on deep etched and on non-etched YAG slabs. The measurements showed a 3.5 fold increase in the strength of the etched slabs. Weibull analysis treatment was carried out on the basis of our fracture data.",
keywords = "Chemical etching, Flexure strength, Nd:YAG rods",
author = "Revital Feldman and Yehoshua Shimony and Steven Jackel and Izhak Levy and Yuval Golan",
year = "2006",
month = oct,
day = "16",
doi = "10.1117/12.667983",
language = "English",
isbn = "0819462462",
series = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",
booktitle = "Solid State Lasers and Amplifiers II",
note = "Solid State Lasers and Amplifiers II ; Conference date: 05-04-2006 Through 06-04-2006",
}