Transparent ceramics for high-energy laser systems

• Published in: Optical materials Vol. 33; no. 3; pp. 511 - 518
• Main Authors: Sanghera, Jas, Bayya, Shyam, Villalobos, Guillermo, Kim, Woohong, Frantz, Jesse, Shaw, Brandon, Sadowski, Bryan, Miklos, R., Baker, Colin, Hunt, Michael, Aggarwal, Ishwar, Kung, Fred, Reicher, David, Peplinski, Stan, Ogloza, Al, Langston, Peter, Lamar, Chuck, Varmette, Peter, Dubinskiy, Mark, DeSandre, Lewis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.01.2011
• Subjects: Ceramics; Hot pressing; Laser ceramics; Lasers; Lasing; Ruggedness; Solid state lasers; Spinel; Thermal conductivity; Transparent ceramics; YAG; Spinel; Laser ceramics; Transparent ceramics
• ISSN: 0925-3467; 1873-1252
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2010.10.038

► Demonstrated that transparent magnesium aluminate spinel ceramic possesses excellent thermo-optical properties and superior ruggedness compared with existing materials for high energy laser systems. ► Fabricated transparent spinel ceramic with record low absorption loss of 6ppm/cm at a wavelength of 1.06μm. ► Spinel has excellent figure of merit for low optical path distortion in high energy laser systems. ► Demonstrated lasing in transparent Yb3+:Y2O3 ceramic made by hot pressing high purity submicron co-precipitated powder. Laser efficiency was about 45%. ► These results pave the way forward for high power solid state lasers exploiting hosts with higher thermal conductivity than YAG. We demonstrate that transparent magnesium aluminate spinel ceramic possesses excellent thermo-optical properties, a record low absorption loss of 6ppm/cm, and superior ruggedness which position it as a prime candidate for an exit window aperture for high energy laser systems, especially in hostile environments. We also demonstrate lasing with an efficiency of about 45% in transparent Yb3+:Y2O3 ceramic made by hot pressing high purity submicron co-precipitated powder. This paves the way forward for high power solid state lasers exploiting hosts with higher thermal conductivity than YAG.