Yb:YSAG ceramics: An attractive thin-disk laser material alternative to a single crystal

Abstract

The 8.3 at.% Yb-doped yttrium-scandium-aluminum garnet (YSAG) ceramics were fabricated by a modified reverse co-precipitation method followed by uniaxial and cold isostatic pressing, annealing in air and high-temperature sintering in vacuum. Spectroscopic and lasing properties were investigated in dependence on Y/Sc/Al ratio in ceramic composition. Optical transmission of Yb:YSAG ceramics in visible and near-infrared spectral range exceeds 80 % that indicates a high quality of the Yb:YSAG samples. Among all the ceramics, the Y2.35Yb0.25Sc1.00Al4.40O12 composition demonstrates the best lasing performance and the highest slope efficiency up to 75 %.