The invention includes apparatus and methods for instantiating rare earth metals in a nanoporous carbon powder.

A ceramic waveguide includes: a doped metal oxide ceramic core layer; and at least one cladding layer comprising the metal oxide surrounding the core layer, such that the core layer includes an erbium dopant and at least one rare earth metal dopant being: lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, scandium, or oxides thereof, or at least one non-rare earth metal dopant comprising zirconium or oxides thereof. Also included is a quantum memory including: at least one doped polycrystalline ceramic optical device with the ceramic waveguide and a method of fabricating the ceramic waveguide.

A ceramic waveguide includes: a doped metal oxide ceramic core layer; and at least one cladding layer comprising the metal oxide surrounding the core layer, such that the core layer includes an erbium dopant and at least one rare earth metal dopant being: lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, scandium, or oxides thereof, or at least one non-rare earth metal dopant comprising zirconium or oxides thereof. Also included is a quantum memory including: at least one doped polycrystalline ceramic optical device with the ceramic waveguide and a method of fabricating the ceramic waveguide.

A material synthesis method may comprise: adding at least one liquid precursor solution to an atomizer device; generating by the atomizer device an aerosol comprising liquid droplets; transporting the aerosol to a reactive zone for evaporating one or more solvents from the aerosol; and collecting particles synthesized from at least evaporating the aerosol.

A material synthesis method may comprise: adding at least one liquid precursor solution to an atomizer device; generating by the atomizer device an aerosol comprising liquid droplets; transporting the aerosol to a reactive zone for evaporating one or more solvents from the aerosol; and collecting particles synthesized from at least evaporating the aerosol.

Methods of forming nanoceramic materials and components. The methods may include performing atomic layer deposition to form a plurality of nanoparticles, including forming a thin film coating over core particles, or sintering the nanoparticles in a mold. The nanoparticles can include a first material selected from a rare earth metal-containing oxide, a rare earth metal-containing fluoride, a rare earth metal-containing oxyfluoride or combinations thereof.

Methods of forming nanoceramic materials and components. The methods may include performing atomic layer deposition to form a plurality of nanoparticles, including forming a thin film coating over core particles, or sintering the nanoparticles in a mold. The nanoparticles can include a first material selected from a rare earth metal-containing oxide, a rare earth metal-containing fluoride, a rare earth metal-containing oxyfluoride or combinations thereof.

Disclosed here is a method for making a monolithic rare earth oxide (REO) aerogel, comprising: preparing a reaction mixture comprising at least one rare earth metal nitrate, at least one epoxide, at least one base catalyst, and at least one organic solvent; curing the mixture to produce a wet gel; drying the wet gel to produce a dry gel; and thermally annealing the dry gel to produce the monolithic REO aerogel. Also disclosed is an REO aerogel comprising a network of REO nanostructures, wherein the REO aerogel is a monolith having at least one lateral dimension of at least 1 cm, wherein the REO aerogel has a density of about 40-500 mg/cm.sup.3 and/or a BET surface area of at least about 20 m.sup.2/g, and wherein the REO aerogel is substantially free of oxychloride.

Disclosed here is a method for making a monolithic rare earth oxide (REO) aerogel, comprising: preparing a reaction mixture comprising at least one rare earth metal nitrate, at least one epoxide, at least one base catalyst, and at least one organic solvent; curing the mixture to produce a wet gel; drying the wet gel to produce a dry gel; and thermally annealing the dry gel to produce the monolithic REO aerogel. Also disclosed is an REO aerogel comprising a network of REO nanostructures, wherein the REO aerogel is a monolith having at least one lateral dimension of at least 1 cm, wherein the REO aerogel has a density of about 40-500 mg/cm.sup.3 and/or a BET surface area of at least about 20 m.sup.2/g, and wherein the REO aerogel is substantially free of oxychloride.

Nanopowders containing nanoparticles having a core particle with a thin film coating. The core particles and thin film coatings are, independently, formed from at least one of a rare earth metal-containing oxide, a rare earth metal-containing fluoride, a rare earth metal-containing oxyfluoride or combinations thereof. The thin film coating may be formed using a non-line of sight technique such as atomic layer deposition (ALD). Also disclosed herein are nanoceramic materials formed from the nanopowders and methods of making and using the nanopowders.