DOPED OR ALLOYED MATERIALS AND HOT ISOSTATIC PRESSING METHOD OF MAKING SAME

A method of forming a doped substrate comprises heating a substrate comprising a layer of a dopant on at least one surface to a predetermined temperature; applying a predetermined degree of isostatic external pressure on the surface of said substrate at said predetermined temperature for a time sufficient to induce thermal migration of the dopant into the substrate to provide a doped substrate; and removing the isostatic pressure and cooling the doped substrate to about room temperature. The substrate is a glass material, a single crystal material, a poly- crystalline material, a ceramic material, or a semiconductor material, and the substrate may be optically transparent. The dopant comprises one or more transition metals, one or more rare earth elements, or a combination of both. The layer of a dopant comprises one or more segregated layers of distinct chemical species. The isostatic pressure and elevated temperature may be applied simultaneously or sequentially.