Fabrication, spectral and laser performance of 5at.% Yb3+ doped (La0.10Y0.90)2O3 transparent ceramic

A 5 at.% Yb(3+)doped (La0.10Y0.90)(2)O-3 transparent ceramic was fabricated with nano-powders and sintered in H-2 atmosphere. Spectroscopic properties and laser performance of Yb:(La0.10Y0.90)(2)O-3 ceramic were studied. The ceramic exhibits excellent spectroscopic properties, with broad absorption and emission bands, and its refractive index (n) is close to 2. The gain cross-section (sigma(g)) was calculated at different population inversion ratio (beta) values. In addition, among Yb3+ doped YAG crystal, Y2O3 and (YLa)(2)O-3 ceramic, (YLa)(2)O-3 ceramic has the least pump intensity (I-min) of 1.25 KW cm(-2). Furthermore, a diode-pumped C-W ceramic laser output has been demonstrated at 1075 nm with a slope-efficiency of 60.2%. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.