Current limitations in both single crystal and polycrystalline (ceramic) solid state laser technologies for high power applications stem from thermal effects that cause degradation in both lasing efficiency and beam quality. YAG and Y₂O₃ have favorable material properties for producing these high power lasers. We demonstrate chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) processes for YAG and Y₂O₃ resulting in smooth surfaces, (< 1 nm RMS roughness), defect free, and subsequently suitable for direct bonding. The CMP process has been used in conjunction with surface activation to form single crystal YAG-YAG and polycrystalline Y₂O₃-Y₂O₃ bonded elements showing a proof of concept for the fabrication of composite laser elements.

YAG single crystals were successfully polished with a 70-nm colloidal silica solution containing NaOH (pH 9.9). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements provided insights to the chemical impact of the NaOH. After NaOH exposure, YAG showed complete removal of Al from tetrahedral sites and a change in the Y_3/2 and Y_5/2 peak area ratios, indicating that the surface of YAG was sufficiently modified to allow the silica particles to abrade the byproduct surface layer. The final surface roughness after polishing was measured at 0.1 nm RMS roughness with no scratches deeper than 0.3 nm. YAG single crystals were also polished with a 70-nm Al₂O₃ slurry containing NaOCl (pH 11.4), however AFM measurements showed that the surface produced, 0.5 nm RMS roughness with no scratches deeper than 6.0 nm, was not as good as polishing with the colloidal silica slurry which was attributed to the effect of the chemical action of NaOH with the YAG surface. Polishing polycrystalline Y₂O₃ required a slurry with less aggressive chemical reactions, so the NaOCl/Al₂O₃ slurry was used to successfully polish the substrates to RMS roughness values of 0.5 nm and scratches no deeper than 1.0 nm. Triple axis diffraction rocking curves and double crystal x-ray diffraction imaging were used to demonstrate that the CMP process also removed subsurface damage that was present in the as-supplied material. The triple axis technique was also successfully employed for the first time to demonstrate that the polycrystalline Y₂O₃ subsurface damage was also significant reduced after the CMP process.

After CMP and surface treatment, YAG-YAG and Y₂O₃-Y₂O₃ were bonded together and annealed at 1425 °C with no applied pressure. Cross section and plan view high resolution transmission electron images of the YAG-YAG bonded interface revealed a defect free bonding interface. Light transmission measurements showed that 90% of the interface area was bonded at room temperature contact and was further strengthened with annealing at 1425 °C for 72 hours. These conditions possess a much lower thermal budget than those previously shown to be required to bond YAG without a CMP step. The CMP and surface treatment processes that have been developed are applicable towards the creation of solid state laser composite elements and enable further progress and development for high power laser applications.