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Experimental demonstration of the first controlled gradient doped ytterbium YAG crystal boules grown via modified Horizontal Direct Crystallization technique is presented. Yb3+:YAG crystals extracted from these boules exhibit a controlled continuous doping gradient, offering opportunities to explore laser concepts with greatly improved characteristics such as thermal and amplified spontaneous emission management; but also in terms of gain medium volume requirements. The growth process with its specificities compared to known growth techniques used for homogeneously doped crystal growth, is described in detail. The Yb3+ ions distribution within the extracted crystals is quantified. Optical transmission and fluorescence measurements will also be presented.

Current work is dedicated to theoretical and experimental studies on YAG single crystals performance with non-homogeneous activator ion distribution. Improved lasing characteristics are described and quantified theoretically. The first crystals with such a distribution have been obtained as a result of several growth attempts using Horizontal Direct Crystallization method (Bagdassarov’s method). Extracted from the as-grown boules, samples have been optically treated and studied further. The preparatory phase, growth process and equipment as well as post-growth studies of the extracted samples are equally presented in this paper. Energy-dispersive X-ray analyses were used to quantify the doping distribution values in the grown crystals. Optical transmission experiments were performed to verify the optical characteristics of the as-grown crystals.