Simple method to join YAG ceramics and crystals

Method to join samples of yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) ceramics and crystals together includes deposition of thin SiOx layer(s) on flat polished surfaces of the samples to be joined and heating the samples with the contacting surfaces above 1700 °C. There is no visible border between the crystal samples bonded. YAG single crystal solid state growth takes place on the bonded crystal–ceramics border, and crystal growth velocity is much higher when intermediate SiOx layer is used.

► Method of optical bonding of Y3Al5O12 (YAG) ceramics and crystals.
► Thin SiOx layers are deposited on samples’ polished surfaces.
► The joined samples are heated above 1700° C 1–10 h with no pressure applied.
► There is no visible border between the bonded YAG crystals.
► SiOx layer increases velocity of YAG crystal solid state growth on its border with YAG ceramics.