Layered Yb:YAG ceramics produced by two different methods: processing, characterization, and comparison

Year: 2016

Authors: Hostaša J., Biasini V., Piancastelli A., Vannini M., Toci G.

Autors Affiliation: Natl Res Council Italy, Inst Sci & Technol Ceram, Via Granarolo 64, I-48018 Faenza, Italy; Natl Res Council Italy, Natl Inst Opt, Via Madonna del Piano 10, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.

Abstract: Yb:YAG ceramic solid-state laser gain media have been of growing interest for high-repetition rate and high-power lasers during the last few years. A great advantage of ceramic technology compared with that of single crystals is the flexibility of shaping methods allowing the production of near-net-shape components with a well-defined internal structure. A favorable dopant distribution can enhance laser efficiency by mitigating thermal effects. The presented work reports on Yb:YAG transparent ceramics composed of layers with different Yb doping produced by two different shaping methods: dry pressing of spray-dried powders and tape casting, all sintered under high vacuum. The selected geometry of materials was based on numerical simulations. Optical quality of produced ceramics was characterized and discussed in connection with the microstructure and laser emission results. Output power of nearly 7 W and slope efficiency of 58.1% were obtained in quasi-continuous wave regime from bilayered 0% to 10% Yb:YAG. In the case of multilayered materials, higher scattering losses were observed. The comparison of the two processing methods highlighted that the tape-cast materials provided higher optical uniformity and the diffusion zone between the single layers with different dopant content was about 150 µm compared to about 250 µm in samples produced by pressing of powders.

Journal/Review: OPTICAL ENGINEERING

Volume: 55 (8)      Pages from: 087104-1  to: 087104-8

More Information: The reported work has been presented at the conference SPIE LASE 2016, Solid State Lasers XXV: Technology and Devices, and published in SPIE Proceedings vol. 9726 [doi:10.1117/12.2209339]. The authors gratefully acknowledge the support from the Italian Ministry of Defence under PNRM, Contract No. 8723 of 19/12/2014 (CeMiLAP).
KeyWords: Ceramic materials; Characterization; Crystal structure; Efficiency; High power lasers; Lasers; Powders; Pressing (forming); Processing; Single crystals; Sintering; Ytterbium, Multilayered materials; Near-net-shape components; Quasi-continuous waves; Tape casting; Thermal lensing effect; Transparent ceramic; Yb:YAG transparent ceramics; Yttrium aluminum garnet, Solid state lasers
DOI: 10.1117/1.OE.55.8.087104

Citations: 5
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