Spectroscopic Characteristics and Laser Performance of Transparent Ceramics

• Published in: IEEE journal of quantum electronics 2013-03, Vol.49 (3), p.293-300
• Main Authors: Lu, Shenzhou, Yang, Qiuhong, Zhang, Haojia, Wang, Yonggang, Huang, Dongdong, Wang, Qing, Wei, Zhiyi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorption; Ceramics; emission cross section; Ions; laser oscillation; Optical pumping; Oscillators; Pump lasers; quantum efficiency; transparent ceramics; {\rm Nd}{:}{\rm Y}_{18}{\rm La}_{02}{\rm O}_{3}
• ISSN: 0018-9197; 1558-1713
• DOI: 10.1109/JQE.2012.2226235

(Nd x Y 0.9-x La 0.1 ) 2 O 3 (x=0.005-0.04) transparent ceramics were fabricated by conventional solid-state processing. The radiative spectral properties of the ceramic samples were evaluated by fitting the Judd-Ofelt model with the absorption and emission data. (Nd x Y 0.9-x La 0.1 ) 2 O 3 ceramics have broad absorption and emission bands with a radiative decay time of 328 μs. The absorption cross section at 806 nm and stimulated emission cross section at 1078 nm are calculated to be 1.53 ×10 -20 and 5.22 × 10 -20 cm 2 , respectively. The product of quantum efficiency and the ionic concentration (ηN) exhibited a peak value at 1.5 at% Nd 3+ ion concentration, while the lifetime decreases dramatically from 300 μs (0.5 at% Nd) to 49 μs (4.0 at% Nd). With 1.0 at% Nd:Y 1.8 La 0.2 O 3 ceramics acting as a laser medium, continuous-wave output power of 1.03 W was obtained at 1079.5 nm under an absorbed pump power of 7.2 W, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 18.4%.