The growth method of yttrium aluminate crystal
Technical field
What the present invention relates to is a kind of method of photoelectron material technical field, specifically, and a kind of growth method of yttrium aluminate crystal.
Background technology
YAP (yttrium aluminate) is a kind of laser crystals substrate material of excellent property, and molecular formula is YAlO
3, the Y-O bond distance in the YAP crystalline structure in the oxygen dodecahedron (2.65 ) is greater than the Y-O bond distance (2.45 ) in YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) crystal, and this matrix structure helps mixing of active ions.And Y
3+Ionic radius and rare earth ion radius are comparatively approaching, therefore mix the Nd of certain number
3+, Ho
3+, Tm
3+, Er
3+Y in the ionic replacement YAP lattice
3+Case, can not cause that big distortion takes place lattice; YAP matrix also can be mixed transition group ion (Fe simultaneously
3+, Co
3+, Ni
3+) make laser crystals as activator, Al in these transition group ionic replacement YAP lattice
3+Case.Because the anisotropy of YAP crystallophy character, its thermal expansivity is quite big along different crystallographic axis differences, is respectively 4.2 * 10 along a, b, c axle thermal expansivity
-6/ ℃, 11.7 * 10
-6/ ℃, 5.1 * 10
-6/ ℃, so the YAP serial crystal very easily ftractures under bigger thermograde.When adopting Czochralski grown crystal, after crystalline size reaches predetermined length, usually adopt quick crystal pulling method or manual crystal pulling method to make crystal break away from melt.But crystal will be subjected to very big thermal shocking in the moment that breaks away from melt, easily make crystal cracking occur.
Find through literature search prior art, Chinese patent publication number: 1544711, denomination of invention is: the growth method of gadolinium silicate single crystal, this method is grown the later stage at gadolinium orthosilicate, take certain tailing-in technique to make crystalline afterbody and shoulder shape symmetry, can reduce the probability of crystal cleavage.But it is comparatively complicated that this method actually operating is got up, and choosing of laser bar be that whether beautiful tail shape is in the crystalline equal-diameter part, its actual having little significance.In addition, though this patent has also been mentioned slow cooling, do not provide concrete working method.
Summary of the invention
The objective of the invention is to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art, a kind of yttrium aluminate laser crystalline growth method is provided, make it solve the easy rimose problem of crystal, improve the crystal yield rate.
The present invention is achieved by the following technical solutions, the present invention is in Czochralski grown, take following ending cooling process: in the YAP crystal growth later stage, after promptly the crystal equal-diameter part reaches predetermined size, for avoiding crystal cleavage, pull rate slows down, reduce to 1.0mm/h by 1.5mm/h, slowly heating up is tapered crystal diameter, when treating that crystal diameter reaches 6-8mm, constant temperature is grown for some time then, length is 8-10mm, divides for six stages slowly reduced to room temperature at last, in temperature-fall period, if crystal has been drawn out stay-warm case, then pull rate is set to zero, if be not drawn out stay-warm case, draws on then continuing, for preventing that crystal from being twisted off, need turn off brilliant the commentaries on classics before clout solidifies in the crucible, take out crucible after the blow-on, the interior clout of this moment crystal and crucible sticks together, crystal is separated at place, thin footpath with melt, can obtain complete YAP crystal.
Concrete steps of the present invention are as follows:
(1) adopt Frequency Induction Heating Czochralski grown yttrium aluminate crystal, heating element is an iridium crucible, and raw material is Al
2O
3(99.995%), Y
2O
3(99.999%), is doped to high-purity rare earth oxide Tm
2O
3(99.999%) or Nd
2O
3(99.999%).Raw material through claim to join, grind be mixed even after, be compacted into piece on the hydropress and sintering generation solid state reaction under 1300 ℃ of high temperature, the raw material that sinters places iridium crucible, and with following direction: the YAP seed crystal of [100], [010] or [001] is packed in the seed chuck, in the monocrystalline burner hearth of packing in the lump;
(2) single crystal growing furnace pumping high vacuum is made stay-warm case and lagging material with zirconium white, adopts protection of inert gas; 1900 ℃ of growth temperatures, pull rate 1.5mm/h, crystal rotating speed 25rpm; and adopt sapphire sheet and corundum sheet to build better heat-insulation system, the thermal field that is fit to crystal growth is provided.
(3) strict carry out roasting brilliant, sow, necking down, slowly shouldering, receive shoulder, balanced isometrical stage of control, the especially isometrical stage, even diameter changes, also to be controlled to gradual change, avoid forming cracking because of the crystal diameter sudden change causes internal stress to concentrate.
(4) after the crystal equal-diameter part reaches predetermined size, slowly finish up.For avoiding crystal cracking to occur, the pull rate that slows down is reduced to 1.0mm/h by 1.5mm/h, and slowly heating up is tapered crystal diameter, when treating that crystal diameter reaches 6-8mm, and constant temperature growing crystal length 8-10mm.
(5) divided for six stages slowly reduced to room temperature.In temperature-fall period, if crystal has been drawn out stay-warm case, then pull rate is set to zero; If be not drawn out stay-warm case, draw on then continuing.For preventing that crystal from being twisted off, need turn off brilliant the commentaries on classics before clout solidifies in the crucible.Take out crucible after the blow-on, the interior clout of this moment crystal and crucible sticks together, and crystal is separated at place, thin footpath with melt.Concrete cool-down method is as follows:
1. 15 ℃/h, cooling continues 6h, 1900 ℃-1810 ℃;
2. 20 ℃/h, cooling continues 9h, 1810 ℃-1630 ℃;
3. 25 ℃/h, cooling continues 10h, 1630 ℃-1380 ℃;
4. 30 ℃/h, cooling continues 12h, 1380 ℃-1020 ℃;
5. 38 ℃/h, cooling continues 15h, 1020 ℃-450 ℃;
6. 55 ℃/h, cooling continues 8h, 450 ℃-room temperature.
Temperature-fall period amounts to 60h, cooling rate 15-55 ℃/h.If cooling rate is too fast,, also be prone to cracking even original crystal is fine.If adopt constant cooling at a slow speed always, then waste electric energy, increase production cost.
The crystal growth later stage is adopted above-mentioned ending and cooling process, has significantly reduced the probability of crystal cleavage.Think: epilogue lifts the thermal shocking that crystal is caused when having avoided crystal growth to finish fast, has reduced intracrystalline thermograde, has effectively improved its thermal field, makes crystal avoid growing under the rimose thermal field condition helping; On the other hand, multistage cooling process has reduced to occur in the convection current of cold and hot atmosphere in the growth chamber, and remaining crystal has suitable thermograde, has overcome the serious rimose phenomenon of crystal.Slowly cooling also is a kind of method for annealing simultaneously, not only can reduce the probability of crystal cleavage, also can improve the crystalline optical homogeneity.So after adopting aforesaid method, significantly reduced the crystal cleavage phenomenon.Under these conditions we can successfully grow do not ftracture, YAP crystal that integrity is good.
The present invention has overcome the problem that original YAP crystal easily causes cracking defect, and is simple, workable, not only reduced the probability of crystal cleavage, and improved the yield rate and the optical homogeneity of yttrium aluminate crystal, saved electric energy, reduced production cost.
Embodiment
Embodiment 1: induction heating Czochralski grown b axle Tm:YAP crystal.
Utilize Frequency Induction Heating, in the Iridium Crucible of Φ 66 * 45mm, put into the Tm:YAP raw material 590g of tablet forming, charge into 99.999% high pure nitrogen behind the body of heater pumping high vacuum, adopt crystal pulling method, growth b axialite body as shielding gas.Growth velocity 1.5mm/h, rotating speed 25rpm controls protruding interface growth.When the crystal equal-diameter part reached 70mm, directly manually quick pulling crystal broke away from itself and melt, obtains a transparent b axle Tm:YAP crystal, and weight is 200g.Crystal is pale brown look, local cracking phenomena occurs.
Embodiment 2: the multistage induction heating Czochralski grown b axle Tm:YAP crystal of slowly lowering the temperature.
Utilize Frequency Induction Heating, in the Iridium Crucible of Φ 66 * 45mm, put into the Tm:YAP raw material 590g of tablet forming; charge into 99.999% high pure nitrogen behind the body of heater pumping high vacuum as shielding gas; adopt crystal pulling method, select for use b axle YAP crystal to make seed crystal, growth Tm:YAP crystal.Growth velocity 1.5mm/h, rotating speed 25rpm controls protruding interface growth.When the crystal equal-diameter part reached 70mm, pull rate slowed to 1.0mm/h, and slowly heating up is tapered crystal diameter, and when treating that crystal diameter reaches 6-8mm, constant temperature is grown for some time then, length 8-10mm.Divided for six stages slowly reduced to room temperature at last.This moment, crystal was not pulled out stay-warm case, drew in the continuation, when clout is near curdled appearance by the time, stopped brilliant the commentaries on classics.Take out crucible after the blow-on, crystal is separated at place, thin footpath with melt, obtaining one ruler very little is the b axle Tm:YAP crystal of Φ 21 * 100mm, and weight is 250g.Crystal is pale brown look, does not see cracking phenomena, and integrity is good, and scattering particles are few, and optical property is preferably arranged.
Embodiment 3: the multistage induction heating Czochralski grown c axle Tm:YAP crystal of slowly lowering the temperature.
Utilize Frequency Induction Heating, in the Iridium Crucible of Φ 66 * 45mm, put into the Tm:YAP raw material 590g of tablet forming; charge into 99.999% high pure nitrogen behind the body of heater pumping high vacuum as shielding gas; adopt crystal pulling method, select for use c axle YAP crystal to make seed crystal, growth Tm:YAP crystal.Growth velocity 1.5mm/h, rotating speed 25rpm controls protruding interface growth.When the crystal equal-diameter part reaches 75mm, the pull rate that slows down, slowly heating up is tapered crystal diameter, and when treating that crystal diameter reaches 6-8mm, constant temperature is grown for some time then, length 8-10mm.Divided for six stages slowly reduced to room temperature at last.This moment, crystal was not pulled out stay-warm case, drew in the continuation, when waiting clout near curdled appearance, stopped brilliant the commentaries on classics.Take out crucible after the blow-on, crystal is separated at place, thin footpath with melt, obtaining one ruler very little is the c axle Tm:YAP crystal of Φ 21 * 110mm, and weight is 270g.Crystal is pale brown look, does not see cracking phenomena, and integrity is good, and scattering particles are few, and optical property is preferably arranged.
Embodiment 4: the multistage induction heating Czochralski grown b axle Nd:YAP crystal of slowly lowering the temperature.
Utilize Frequency Induction Heating, in the Iridium Crucible of Φ 66 * 45mm, put into the Nd:YAP raw material 590g of tablet forming; charge into 99.999% high pure nitrogen behind the body of heater pumping high vacuum as shielding gas; adopt crystal pulling method, select for use b axle YAP crystal to make seed crystal, growth of Nd: the YAP crystal.Growth velocity 1.5mm/h, rotating speed 25rpm controls protruding interface growth.When the crystal equal-diameter part reaches 70mm, the pull rate that slows down, slowly heating up is tapered crystal diameter, and when treating that crystal diameter reaches 6-8mm, constant temperature is grown for some time then, length 8-10mm.Divided for six stages slowly reduced to room temperature at last.This moment, crystal was not pulled out stay-warm case, drew in the continuation, when waiting clout near curdled appearance, stopped brilliant the commentaries on classics.Take out crucible after the blow-on, crystal is separated at place, thin footpath with melt, obtaining one ruler very little is the b axle Nd:YAP crystal of Φ 21 * 100mm, and weight is 250g.Crystal is a lavender, does not see cracking phenomena, and integrity is good, and scattering particles are few.
Embodiment 5: the pure YAP crystal of induction heating Czochralski grown.
Utilize Frequency Induction Heating, in the Iridium Crucible of Φ 66 * 45mm, put into the YAP raw material 590g of tablet forming, charge into 99.999% high pure nitrogen behind the body of heater pumping high vacuum, adopt crystal pulling method, growth b axialite body as shielding gas.Growth velocity 1.5mm/h, rotating speed 25rpm controls protruding interface growth.When the crystal equal-diameter part reaches 80mm, the pull rate that slows down, slowly heating up is tapered crystal diameter, and when treating that crystal diameter reaches 6-8mm, constant temperature is grown for some time then, length 8-10mm.Divided for six stages slowly reduced to room temperature at last.Crystal will be drawn out stay-warm case this moment, draw on stopping.During near curdled appearance, stop brilliant the commentaries on classics Deng clout.Take out crucible after the blow-on, crystal is separated at place, thin footpath with melt, obtain to be of a size of the pure YAP crystal of b axle of Φ 21 * 120mm, weight is 280g.Crystal is not seen cracking phenomena, and integrity is good, and scattering particles are few.