Lu₂O₃:Yb³⁺ ceramics – a novel gain material for high‐power solid‐state lasers

Abstract

Abstract We have developed Yb 3+ :Lu 2 O 3 ceramics with nanocrystalline technology and a vacuum sintering method. A laser diode end‐pumped efficient Yb 3+ :Lu 2 O 3 ceramic laser was demonstrated. A 0.7 W cw output power was obtained with the slope efficiency of ≈36% at 1035 nm wavelength, and 0.95 W with the slope efficiency of ≈53% at 1079 nm. We classify the Lu 2 O 3 :Yb 3+ ceramics as gain medium for high‐power solid‐state lasers (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)