US3897590A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for making monocrystals
Assignee: Battelle-Institut
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Filing: 1972-05-03
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Granted: 1975-07-29
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Expires: 1992-05-03
Abstract
Abstract Producing dielectric monocrystals of salts of coordinative bound metal acids by the floating zone melt method wherein materials in the floating zone are melted by irradiation with a laser beam.
Inventors
- 👤 Karl Gurs
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 16:33
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K26/00; B23K26/12; B23K26/123; B23K26/1224; B23K26/127; B23K26/128; C; C30; C30B; C30B13/00; C30B13/16; C30B13/22; C30B13/24; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S117/00; Y10S117/903; Y10S117/904
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
57 words
IN A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A DIELECTRIC MONOCRYSTAL FROM A RAW MATERIAL COMPRISING A DIELECTRIC SALT OF A COORDINATIVE BOUND METALLIC ACID IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FLOATING ZONE MELT PROCESS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES MELTING THE PORTION OF SAID RAW MATERIAL WHICH IS TO COMPRISE THE FLOATING ZONE MELT BY IRRADIATION WITH A LASER BEAM.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
57 words
IN A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A DIELECTRIC MONOCRYSTAL FROM A RAW MATERIAL COMPRISING A DIELECTRIC SALT OF A COORDINATIVE BOUND METALLIC ACID IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FLOATING ZONE MELT PROCESS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES MELTING THE PORTION OF SAID RAW MATERIAL WHICH IS TO COMPRISE THE FLOATING ZONE MELT BY IRRADIATION WITH A LASER BEAM.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said dielectric monocrystal is produced from the raw material comprising a dielectric salt, and said dielectric salt is selected from the group consisting of niobates, tantalates, titanates, wolframates, molybdates, gallates, aluminates, silicates and mixtures of these materials.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said dielectric monocrystal is produced from a raw material comprising a dielectric salt, and said dielectric salt is selected from the group consisting of barium sodium niobate, barium strontium niobate, lithium niobate, potassium ortho tantalate, strontium titanate, calcium wolframate, lead molybdate, yttrium gallate, yttrium aluminate, yttrium silicate and mixtures of these materials.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 1 where zone melting is in a vacuum.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 1 where zone melting is under a protective gas.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 1 where zone melting is in air.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said laser beam is generated by a CO2 laser.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said dielectric monocrystal is produced from a raw material comprising a dielectric salt, wherein the monocrystal is doped during the zone melting process by a doping material associated with the raw material, said doping material being mixed into the melt and thereby incorporated into the monocrystal during irradiation by said laser beam.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said raw material comprises a raw rod and a seed crystal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said raw material is in the shape of a disc or plate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said raw material is in the shape of a tube.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said raw material is in the shape of a rod.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said raw material is in the form of a disc, and said irradiation with a laser beam is accomplished by rotating said disc and irradiating said disc with said laser beam in a spiral fashion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
The process of claim 1 which further comprises maintaining said raw material in a furnace wherein the temperature is maintained below the melting temperature of the monocrystal material formed, said furnace being provided with aperture means for the passage of the laser beam onto the raw material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 14 wherein the temperature difference between the raw material and the furnace is less than about 500*C.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
The process of claim 1 which further comprises at least partially surrounding said raw material with a concave mirror capable of reflecting radiation lost from the surface of said raw material upon irradiation from said laser beam, whereby heat radiation loss is reduced.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said raw material is selected from the group consisting of lithium niobate, barium-sodium-niobate and barium-strontium-niobate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
In a process for the production of a monocrystal from a raw material in accordance with the floating zone melt proccess, the improvement which comprises melting the portion of said raw material which is to comprise the floating zone melt by irradiation with a laser beam.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
In a process for the production of a monocrystal from a raw material in accordance with the floating zone melt proccess, the improvement which comprises melting the portion of said raw material which is to comprise the floating zone melt by irradiation with a laser beam.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said raw material has a melting point greater than 2,000*C.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said laser is substantially the sole source of heat for said melting.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said raw material is in the shape of a disc or plate, and said monocrystal is in the shape of a disc or plate.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said raw material is in the shape of a tube, and said monocrystal is in the shape of a tube.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
48 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said raw material is in the form of a disc, and said irradiation with a laser beam is accomplished by rotating said disc and irradiating said disc with laser beam in a spiral fashion, said monocrystal having the shape of the disc.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
79 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said raw material comprises a firsT component which is substantially more volatile than a second component therein, said first component volatilizing from the raw material during melting to form a vapor phase, and being reintroduced into said melting raw material by maintaining a separate source of said first component in close adjacency to said melting raw material, whereby said first component is an equilibrium between said melting raw material and said vapor phase.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 18 wherein said raw material has a melting point greater than 2,000*C.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 18 wherein said laser is substantially the sole source of heat for said melting.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 18 wherein said raw material is in the shape of a disc or plate, and said monocrystal is in the shape of a disc or plate.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 18 wherein said raw material is in the shape of a tube, and said monocrystal is in the shape of a tube.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
49 words
The process of claim 18 wherein said raw material is in the form of a disc, and said irradiation with a laser beam is accomplished by rotating said disc and irradiating said disc with said laser beam in a spiral fashion, said moncrystal having the shape of the disc.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
79 words
The process of claim 18 wherein said raw material comprises a first component which is substantially more volatile than a second component therein, said first component volatilizing from the raw material during melting to form a vapor phase, and being reintroduced into said melting raw material by maintaining a separate source of said first component in close adjacency to said melting raw material, whereby said first component is an equilibrium between said melting raw material and said vapor phase.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 18 wherein said melting is conducted in air.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-07-28 | 1979-01-27 | 1979-07-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-28 | 1983-01-27 | 1983-07-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-28 | 1987-01-27 | 1987-07-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |