Fabrication and spectroscopic properties of transparent Yb:YAG laser ceramics

Yb3+ doped YAG ceramics have been successfully fabricated using a vacuum reactive sintering method. High purity Y2O3, Al2O3 and Yb2O3 powders were used as the starting materials. Samples of 5.0 at.% Yb3+ doping concentration have been obtained. The in-line transmittance of the sample reaches 84% at 1100 nm wavelength. The absorption and emission bandwidth were measured to be 19.5 nm and 11.07 nm respectively. The results show that Yb:YAG ceramics will be a promising laser material for high power and ultrafast laser applications