Fabrication and laser properties of transparent Yb:YAG ceramics

• Published in: Optical materials Vol. 34; no. 6; pp. 936 - 939
• Main Authors: Luo, Dewei, Zhang, Jian, Xu, Changwen, Qin, Xianpeng, Tang, Dingyuan, Ma, Jan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.04.2012
• Subjects: Laser properties; Reactive sintering; Yb:YAG ceramics; Reactive sintering; Yb:YAG ceramics; Laser properties
• ISSN: 0925-3467; 1873-1252
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2011.04.017

► High optical quality transparent Yb:YAG laser ceramics have been fabricated by a vacuum reactive sintering method. ► The in-line transmittances at 1300 nm and 400 nm were measured to be 83.6% and 81.8% for a 3 mm thick Yb:YAG ceramics sample. High optical quality transparent Yb:YAG laser ceramics have been successfully fabricated by a vacuum reactive sintering method. Commercial Al2O3 powder and co-precipitated Y2O3 and Yb2O3 powders were used as the raw materials. In-line transmittances at 1300nm and 400nm were measured to be 83.6% and 81.8% respectively for a 3mm thick mirror polished Yb:YAG ceramics sample. Continuous wave (CW) lasing at the wavelength of 1030nm was achieved when pumped by a 940nm fiber coupled laser diode. A slope efficiency as high as 62.7% was obtained.