Compressive epitactic layers on single-crystal components for improved mechanical durability and strength

Compressive epitactic layers grown on single-crystal substrates are shown to substantially improve mechanical durability. In this study, neodymium-substituted gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG) layers are grown on undoped GGG substrates. The layers are found to dramatically improve the abrasion resistance of the substrates, but to have only a slight effect on strength. Abrasion treatments, which cause up to 20 times decrease in the strength of substrates without epitactic layers, do not cause a significant decrease in the strength of substrates with these compressive surface layers. This permits the high strength of specially prepared strong substrates to be retained after abrasion