Investigation of lasing characteristics of domestic Yb : YAG laser ceramics

We report on the synthesis and laser characteristics of Yb³⁺-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Y₃Al₅O₁₂) optical ceramics. The ceramics was produced by solid-phase reactive sintering of a mixture of Yb (5 at %) : Y₂O₃ and Al₂O₃ nanopowders synthesised by laser ablation, using additional calcination of the mixture before compaction. In a thin disk geometry, multiwatt laser oscillation was obtained at a wavelength of 1030 nm with a power of 5.2 W and a slope efficiency of 37.0% at a pump pulse period-toduration ratio of 5.72.