Adhesive-free bond component

We are the world leader in the manufacture of finished composite crystal and glass components for solid-state lasers. We patented its Adhesive-Free Bond technology, which enables the joining of crystal or glass optical materials without the use of an adhesive or an organic or inorganic bonding aid. Composite optical components manufactured using Adhesive-Free Bond (AFB) technology will enable cost-effective systems of increased output power and improved beam quality.

AFBallows for the separation of functionalities of laser components into lasing and non-lasing regions, which is critical for high power DPSSL systems. Our AFB composites offer a new degree of freedom for the design engineer's realization of rugged, compact, solid state laser systems.

In addition to providing AFB, we possess full-finishing capabilities at our facility in Dublin, CA. We work to support our customers from the conceptual design phase all the way through to large-scale production. Please contact us to discover how AFB composites can improve your laser system.

1. Standard Adhesive-Free Bond (AFB) Components

Slab, Disk, Rod AFB Components
We have product lines of various Slabs, Disks and Rod-based AFB components.

Vanadate AFB Components
AFB YVO4 or GdVO4 components are extremely useful for higher power in YVO4-based laser systems. Undoped end-caps increase damage threshold by separating the pump input face with the lasing doped portion. We produce slabs and rods with plano or spherical end faces.

Microchip AFB Components
AFB microchips, especially in the form of Nd:YAG/Cr4+:YAG passively q-switched microchips have found a host of applications due to their compact size and the incorporation of both the lasing material and q-switch into a monolithic element. This approach minimizes system complexity and system size, and maximizes efficiency.

Waveguide AFB Components
Tolerances of /30 flatness over the core and dimensional tolerances down to +/- 0.001mm over the core are available.

2. Customized AFB Components

We welcome all inquiries about the feasibility of AFB composite optical components. We are interested in discussing and manufacturing new material combinations and structural geometries. It is our goal to provide high-quality composites that will provide a solution for your system's needs, so we encourage any design submissions for review.

Large AFB Components
We have become well known for its ability to produce crystals of larger sizes than previously possible.

MOSAIC AFB Laser Components
With MOSAIC AFB multiple crystals are edge-AFB'd together in array fashion to produce larger plates or slabs. For example, if the maximum size of a certain crystal is 50x50x5mm, four plates could be MOSAIC AFB'd to produce one 100x100x5mm plate. This is useful for both active laser crystals such as Yb:YAG, Nd:YAG, Nd:GGG, Yb:S-FAP and inactive window material such as sapphire or spinel.

3. Adhesive-Free Bond (AFB) Technology

Adhesive-Free Bonding (AFB) is patented technology developed and owned by us, Inc. Since laser environments dictate robust components with minimal loss or damage, Adhesive-Free Bond (AFB) has been developed to produce strong and optically transparent bonds. Both similar and dissimilar crystals and glasses may be bonded using this unique process. In most cases AFB is as strong as bulk material.

We have patents in the U.S. for bonding without any adhesive at the interface. We had originally called the process diffusion bonding because volatile components are diffusing out during the bonding process. Thermal and optical bonding are two other names for the same type of bond. Chemically activated bonds have some chemical component at the interface between components and are therefore not as strong or as stable as if there were no adhesive at the interface.

Chemically activated bonds also are not compatible with composites consisting of differing materials such as YAG and sapphire or YAG and spinel, whereas adhesive-free bonds are.

4. Adhesive-Free Bonding Applications: