Thermo-optical measurements of ytterbium doped ceramics (Sc₂O₃, Y₂0₃, Lu₂0₃, YAG) and crystals (YAG, CaF₂) at cryogenic temperatures

Abstract

In this paper, we report the measurements of the specific heat, the density and the thermal diffusivity at room and cryogenic temperatures of Ytterbium doped cubic sesquioxides (Sc₂O₃, Y₂O₃, Lu₂O₃) ceramics and of Ytterbium doped crystals (YAG, CaF₂). These materials appear to have very interesting properties for setting up high average power laser chains useful for plasma physics and for inertial fusion energy drivers.