Neodymium doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Y3Al5O12) nanocrystalline ceramics—a new generation of solid state laser and optical materials

Transparent ceramics: Processing, materials and applications

Comparative study of ceramic and single crystal Ce:GAGG scintillator

After a brief examination of known insulating laser crystals and the stimulated emission channels of their generating activator ions, this article reviews recent advances in the development of novel lasing crystals and ceramics, as well as inorganic and organic nonlinear-laser crystals for χ(3) and cascaded χ(3) ↔ χ(2) frequency converters Several new modern attractive technologies in the physics and techniques of crystalline lasers are also discussed

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/lpor.200710008

Laser crystals and ceramics: recent advances

This paper reports recent progress in the production of polycrystalline Nd:YAG (Y 3 Al 5 O 12 ), Nd:YSAG (Y 3 Sc 1.0 Al 4.0 O 12 ), Yb:YSAG ceramics, and a Nd-doped YAG single crystal with an almost perfect pore-free structure by advanced ceramic processing. The laser conversion efficiency of pore-free polycrystalline Nd- and Yb-doped ceramics is extremely high, and their optical qualities are comparable with that of commercial high-quality Nd:YAG single crystals. We have also succeeded in the fabrication of a Nd:YAG single crystal, which can be used for laser oscillation, by the solid-state reaction method. Laser oscillation efficiency was very low when the pores remained inside the single crystal; however, the laser oscillation efficiency of the pore-free Nd:YAG single crystal was slightly higher than that of polycrystalline Nd:YAG ceramics having high optical quality. From this fact, it was recognized that optical scattering occurs mainly in the residual pores inside the Nd:YAG ceramics and the scattering at the grain boundary is very less. In addition, we confirmed that a heavily doped Nd:YAG single crystal can be fabricated by the sintering method. Moreover, we have demonstrated the fabrication of a composite ceramic with complicated structures without the need for precise polishing and diffusion bonding. Advanced ceramic processing, which enables design flexibility of the laser element, presented in this work is important in the development of a high-performance laser (high efficiency, high beam quality, and high output energy, etc.).

Synthesis and Performance of Advanced Ceramic Lasers

A solid-state laser material based on highly transparent cubic Nd3+:Lu2O3 ceramic was developed using nanocrystalline technology and a nonpress vacuum sintering method. Spectroscopic properties of this ceramic laser material were investigated. At room temperature under single-laser diode pumping, efficient continuous wave laser oscillation was demonstrated at two wavelengths of the 4F3/2→4I11/2 channel. The potential application of such a laser material was also discussed.

Promising ceramic laser material: Highly transparent Nd3+:Lu2O3 ceramic

We have demonstrated CW one-micron laser oscillation in new ceramic laser material on the base of cubic Nd3+:Y2O3. Slope efficiency of 32% was achieved on an uncoated 1.5 at.% Nd3+:Y2O3 ceramic plate with size of 14 ×2.7 mm under laser diode end-pumping.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1143/JJAP.40.L1277/pdf

Nd3+:Y2O3 Ceramic Laser

A high-power continuous-wave polycrystalline 1% Nd:Y3Al5O12 (Nd:YAG) ceramic rod laser was demonstrated. With 290 W/808 nm laser diode pumping, cw laser output of 72 W was obtained at 1064 nm. The optical-to-optical conversion efficiency is 24.8%. Thermally induced birefringence properties of Nd:YAG ceramic was also investigated.

72 W Nd:Y3Al5O12 ceramic laser

A new solid-state laser based on Yb3+-doped highly transparent nanocrystalline yttria (Y2O3) ceramics was developed. At room temperature and under a pump power of 2.63 W from a single InGaAs laser diode at ≈ 0.94 µm, a continuous-wave laser output of 0.47 W at 1.077 µm wavelength was obtained corresponding to a slope efficiency of about 32%. Some main spectroscopic properties of Yb3+:Y2O3 ceramics were also investigated.

Yb3+:Y2O3 Ceramics – a Novel Solid-State Laser Material

A solid-state laser material based on highly transparent Yb3+-doped scandia (Sc2O3) ceramic was developed using nanocrystalline technology and the nonpress vacuum sintering method. Continuous wave laser oscillations were obtained at around 1041 and 1094 nm using a 2.5 at. % Yb3+:Sc2O3 ceramic plate. Broadband lasing spectra were observed.

T. Uematsu

Papers

Promising ceramic laser material: Highly transparent Nd3+:Lu2O3 ceramic

Nd3+:Y2O3 Ceramic Laser

72 W Nd:Y3Al5O12 ceramic laser

Yb3+:Y2O3 Ceramics – a Novel Solid-State Laser Material

Yb3+:Sc2O3 ceramic laser