Composite Ceramic Nd3+:YAG/Cr4+:YAG Laser Elements

Abstract

We produce composite ceramic laser elements Nd³⁺:YAG/Cr⁴⁺:YAG using two different methods, i.e., (1) layer-by-layer uniaxial pressing in a metallic mold with sequential addition of appropriate portions of the powder; (2) stacking and pressing of previously uniaxially pressed tablets in a cold isostatic press. In lasers where composite ceramic Nd³⁺:YAG/Cr⁴⁺:YAG elements are used together with longitudinal diode pumping, we obtain the lasing regime for both types of active elements at a wavelength of 1,064 nm in the Q-switch mode. Lasers with ceramic composites produced by stacking and cold isostatic pressing of the previously pressed tablets demonstrate a slope efficiency (~30–33%) even higher than lasers with crystalline saturable absorber (~21%). Lasers based on ceramic composites manufactured by layer-by-layer pressing of powders have an efficiency of ~11–19%. Composites made by stacking and cold isostatic pressing of the previously pressed tablets demonstrate a generation threshold close to those in lasers with crystalline saturable absorbers.