Preparation and characterization of transparent Tm:YAG ceramics

Abstract: Polycrystalline (Y3−x Tm x )Al5O12 (x =0, 0.18, 0.9, 1.5, 3) ceramics were fabricated by a solid-state reaction method using high-purity micrometer-sized powders. Tm-doped ceramics with an almost perfect pore-free structure and high transparency were obtained by advanced ceramic processing. The average grain size and grain boundary width were 15μm and 1nm, respectively. The Y2.82Tm0.18Al5O12 (6at.% Tm:YAG) ceramic slab (5mm×5mm×3.5mm) was end-pumped by a Ti:sapphire laser at 785nm and the maximum output power of 725mW was obtained with a slope efficiency of 36.2% at 2012nm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]