Patent US6496250B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6496250B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Combinatorial method foe development of optical ceramics
Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 2000-09-29
•
Granted: 2002-12-17
•
Expires: 2020-09-29
Abstract
Abstract A method of preparing and testing an array of ceramics for optical properties, comprising: providing a host material that is capable of being made optically transparent or translucent upon sintering; forming the host material into an array of pixels attached to a base plate; doping the host material; reacting the host material and the dopant, to form an array of products; and testing the products for optical properties.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven Jude Duclos
- 👤 Charles David Greskovich
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 17:20
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/38; G01N33/388; B; B01; B01J; B01J19/00; B01J19/0046; B01J2219/00; B01J2219/00274; B01J2219/00583; B01J2219/00596; B01J2219/00603; B01J2219/00659; B01J2219/00664; B01J2219/00668; B01J2219/0068; B01J2219/00702; B01J2219/00718; B01J2219/00745; B01J2219/0075; B01J2219/00754; B01J2219/00756; C; C40; C40B; C40B40/00; C40B40/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of preparing and testing an array of ceramics for optical properties, the method comprising: providing a block of the host material that is capable of being made optically transparent or translucent upon sintering; forming the block into an array of pixels; doping each of the pixels with at least a dopant; reacting the host material of each of the pixel with said at least a dopant to form an array of products; sintering the array of products to produce the array of ceramics; and testing the array of ceramics for the optical properties.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of preparing and testing an array of ceramics for optical properties, the method comprising: providing a block of the host material that is capable of being made optically transparent or translucent upon sintering; forming the block into an array of pixels; doping each of the pixels with at least a dopant; reacting the host material of each of the pixel with said at least a dopant to form an array of products; sintering the array of products to produce the array of ceramics; and testing the array of ceramics for the optical properties.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method of claim 1 , further comprising evaporating a doping medium prior to reacting the host material and the dopant.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method of claim 1 , wherein the host material is a powder.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method of claim 3 , wherein the host material is pressed into a shape prior to doping.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method of claim 4 , wherein the array of pixels is formed by dicing the host material shape above a base plate area.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method of claim 3 , wherein the array of pixels is formed by injection molding of the host material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method of claim 3 , wherein the array of pixels is formed by pressing the powder into a sacrificial mold.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method of claim 7 , further comprising removing the sacrificial mold prior to reacting the host material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method of claim 8 , wherein the sacrificial mold is removed by burning, evaporation or melting.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 1 , wherein the array of the host material has a porosity of from about 30% to about 70%.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the base from the pixels.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method of claim 1 , wherein the dopant is in the form of a precursor in a liquid solution.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method of claim 12 , wherein the dopant is a transition metal ion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method of claim 13 , wherein the dopant is select from the group consisting of: Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Sr, Zr, Mo, Nd, Ba, Hf, Ta, and W.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method of claim 12 , wherein the dopant is a lanthanide.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method of claim 15 , wherein the dopant is select from the group consisting of: Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method of claim 12 , wherein the dopant has a counter ion selected from the group consisting of: nitrate, acetate, bromide, chlorate, chloride, nitrate, salicylate, stearate, sulfate, or tartrate salt dissolved in water, alcohol, or a mixture of water and alcohol.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method of claim 11 , wherein more than one dopant is added.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method of claim 18 , wherein dopants are adding with drying steps between each addition.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method of claim 11 , wherein a solvent is removed prior to reacting the dopant and the host material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method of claim 20 , wherein a solvent is removed by evaporation or freeze drying.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method of claim 1 , further comprising placing a metal foil or plate between the individual pixels prior to reacting the dopant and the host material.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 1 , further comprising flowing a gas over the host material and the dopants while they are being reacted.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the base from the array.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method of claim 24 , wherein the base is removed by dicing, grinding, polishing or lapping.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method of claim 1 , further comprising smoothing or polishing a surface of the array.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of claim 1 , wherein the testing comprises supplying a laser beam, a diode array or an optical beam to evaluate light output under an input of electromagnetic energy.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method of claim 27 , wherein the electromagnetic energy input is an X-ray input.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method of claim 28 , wherein emission efficiency, afterglow, radiation damage or pump up is tested.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method of claim 1 , wherein the host material is Al 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , Th 2 O 3 , Gd 2 O 3 , oxide garnets, Gd 3 Ga 5 O 12 , and Y 3 Al 5 O 12 , oxysulfides, Gd 2 O 2 S, and salt solutions of Y 2 O 3 and Gd 2 O 3 .
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method of claim 1 , wherein the dopant is delivered at a concentration of 10 mole percent or less in a doping medium.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of preparing and testing an array of ceramics for optical properties, comprising: providing a host material that is capable of being made optically transparent or translucent upon sintering; forming the host material into an array of pixels attached to a base plate; doping the host material with at least a dopant; reacting the host material and said at least a dopant, to form an array of products; placing a material between the pixels; and testing the products for optical properties.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of preparing and testing an array of ceramics for optical properties, comprising: providing a host material that is capable of being made optically transparent or translucent upon sintering; forming the host material into an array of pixels attached to a base plate; doping the host material with at least a dopant; reacting the host material and said at least a dopant, to form an array of products; placing a material between the pixels; and testing the products for optical properties.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method of claim 32 , wherein the material between the pixels is optically opaque or light scattering.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method of claim 32 , wherein the material between the pixels is transparent.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of preparing and testing an array of ceramic scintillators for optical properties, the method comprising: providing a block of the host material that is capable of being made optically transparent or translucent upon sintering; forming the block into an array of pixels; doping each of the pixels with at least a dopant; reacting the host material of each of the pixel with said at least a dopant to form an array of ceramic products; sintering the array of ceramic products to produce the array of ceramic scintillators; and testing the array of ceramic scintillators for the optical properties.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of preparing and testing an array of ceramic scintillators for optical properties, the method comprising: providing a block of the host material that is capable of being made optically transparent or translucent upon sintering; forming the block into an array of pixels; doping each of the pixels with at least a dopant; reacting the host material of each of the pixel with said at least a dopant to form an array of ceramic products; sintering the array of ceramic products to produce the array of ceramic scintillators; and testing the array of ceramic scintillators for the optical properties.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of preparing and testing an array of ceramic scintillators for optical properties, the method comprising: providing a block of the host material that is capable of being made optically transparent or translucent upon sintering, the block having a porosity; forming the block into an array of porous pixels; doping each of the porous pixels with at least a dopant by imbibing said at least a dopant thereinto; reacting the host material of each of the pixel with said at least a dopant to form an array of ceramic products; sintering the array of ceramic products to produce the array of ceramic scintillators; and testing the array of ceramic scintillators for the optical properties.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of preparing and testing an array of ceramic scintillators for optical properties, the method comprising: providing a block of the host material that is capable of being made optically transparent or translucent upon sintering, the block having a porosity; forming the block into an array of porous pixels; doping each of the porous pixels with at least a dopant by imbibing said at least a dopant thereinto; reacting the host material of each of the pixel with said at least a dopant to form an array of ceramic products; sintering the array of ceramic products to produce the array of ceramic scintillators; and testing the array of ceramic scintillators for the optical properties.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4242221A
Cited
US4442360A
Cited
US4473412A
Cited
US4525628A
Cited
US4747973A
Cited
US4466929A
Cited
US4518545A
Cited
US4518546A
Cited
US4421671A
Cited
US4571312A
Cited
US4466930A
Cited
US4783596A
Cited
US5143854A
Cited
US5424186A
Cited
US5484750A
Cited
WO1992010092A1
Cited
US5985356A
Cited
US6346290B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-12-16 | 2006-06-17 | 2006-12-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-12-16 | 2010-06-17 | 2010-12-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-12-16 | 2014-06-17 | 2014-12-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |