New infrared transparent oxide glasses

Glass materials based on rare earth oxides and aluminum oxide can provide a combination of infrared transparency, strength, hardness, and environmental stability in a formable material. This article describes a new family of rare earth oxide-aluminum oxide glass materials that can be made by casting from melts formed in platinum crucibles. The glasses transmit light in the wavelength range from 0.3 to 5 μm in sections of ~0.3 cm, they have a Vickers hardness of 800-1000, and exhibit excellent environmental stability typical of refractory oxide materials. The composition of the glass can be adjusted to achieve refractive indices in the range 1.7-1.8 and Abbe numbers of 30-60. The materials are promising candidates for passive optical elements or as a host for optically active ions such as Yb or Nd that provide laser action or absorb at laser line wavelengths.