High efficiency laser action of 1% at. Yb 3+ :Sc 2 O 3 ceramic

We report the spectroscopic characteristics and the laser performances of a low-doped 1% at. Yb:Sc(2)O(3) ceramic sample. Under end- pumping at 933 nm and 968 nm in quasi-CW mode, at 1040.5 nm the laser delivers a maximum output power of 4.3 W and 1.77 W, respectively with a corresponding slope efficiency of 74% and 80%, which are, to the best of our knowledge, the highest value reported in literature for ceramics. We explored the tuning range of the sample, which spans from 1005 nm to 1050.5 nm, and finally we characterized the low losses tunable cavity at 1032 nm