Processing technology, laser, optical and thermal properties of ceramic laser gain materials

Mark Dubinskii; Larry D. Merkle; John R. Goff; Gregory J. Quarles; Vida K. Castillo; Kenneth L. Schepler; David Zelmon; Shekhar Guha; Leonel P. Gonzalez; Matthew R. Rickey; Julie J. Lee; S. M. Hegde; John Q. Dumm; Gary L. Messing; Sang Ho Lee

doi:10.1117/12.602879

Processing technology, laser, optical and thermal properties of ceramic laser gain materials

Mark Dubinskii, Larry D. Merkle, John R. Goff, Gregory J. Quarles, Vida K. Castillo, Kenneth L. Schepler, David Zelmon, Shekhar Guha, Leonel P. Gonzalez, Matthew R. Rickey, Julie J. Lee, S. M. Hegde, John Q. Dumm, Gary L. Messing, Sang Ho Lee

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review

23 Scopus citations

Abstract

Recently there has been increasing interest in high quality ceramic laser gain materials, particularly for high-energy lasers, due to the successful application of high-volume advanced ceramics consolidation techniques to transparent oxide gain materials. In this paper, a brief comparison of manufacturing techniques is presented, including an overview of the co-precipitation process and the solid-state reaction process. Merits and risks of each will be presented from a processing viewpoint. Ceramic Nd:YAG in particular shows promise for high power laser design. The program reported here is also compiling a definitive database to compare ceramic and single crystal Nd:YAG materials. Uniform doping levels of up to 9 at% Nd ³⁺ have been reported by Konoshima Chemical Co. in ceramic Nd:YAG, and studied by the US Army Research Laboratory and the US Air Force Research Laboratory. All ceramic Nd:YAG materials studied to date have exhibited similar, if not identical, spectroscopic parameters to those measured for single crystal samples. Thermal properties, laser damage thresholds and refractive indices for a range of temperatures and wavelengths are reported. Diode-pumped free running laser experiment results with highly concentrated (up to 8 at% Nd ³⁺) ceramics and their comparison with our modeling results are presented. High pulse repetition frequency actively (AO) Q-switched laser experiments are in progress. While there are still challenges in the manufacturing of ceramic laser gain materials, and the benefits of the application of ceramic technology to laser material are yet to be fully realized, ceramic Nd: YAG shows promise and could provide new options to the laser design engineer.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	01
Pages (from-to)	1-9
Number of pages	9
Journal	Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume	5792
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.602879
State	Published - 2005
Event	Laser Source and System Technology for Defense and Security - Orlando, FL, United States Duration: Mar 28 2005 → Mar 29 2005

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Condensed Matter Physics
Computer Science Applications
Applied Mathematics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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10.1117/12.602879

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Dubinskii, M., Merkle, L. D., Goff, J. R., Quarles, G. J., Castillo, V. K., Schepler, K. L., Zelmon, D., Guha, S., Gonzalez, L. P., Rickey, M. R., Lee, J. J., Hegde, S. M., Dumm, J. Q., Messing, G. L., & Lee, S. H. (2005). Processing technology, laser, optical and thermal properties of ceramic laser gain materials. Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, 5792, 1-9. Article 01. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.602879

@article{3379dad719fd4487a258cb431135b531,

title = "Processing technology, laser, optical and thermal properties of ceramic laser gain materials",

abstract = "Recently there has been increasing interest in high quality ceramic laser gain materials, particularly for high-energy lasers, due to the successful application of high-volume advanced ceramics consolidation techniques to transparent oxide gain materials. In this paper, a brief comparison of manufacturing techniques is presented, including an overview of the co-precipitation process and the solid-state reaction process. Merits and risks of each will be presented from a processing viewpoint. Ceramic Nd:YAG in particular shows promise for high power laser design. The program reported here is also compiling a definitive database to compare ceramic and single crystal Nd:YAG materials. Uniform doping levels of up to 9 at% Nd 3+ have been reported by Konoshima Chemical Co. in ceramic Nd:YAG, and studied by the US Army Research Laboratory and the US Air Force Research Laboratory. All ceramic Nd:YAG materials studied to date have exhibited similar, if not identical, spectroscopic parameters to those measured for single crystal samples. Thermal properties, laser damage thresholds and refractive indices for a range of temperatures and wavelengths are reported. Diode-pumped free running laser experiment results with highly concentrated (up to 8 at% Nd 3+) ceramics and their comparison with our modeling results are presented. High pulse repetition frequency actively (AO) Q-switched laser experiments are in progress. While there are still challenges in the manufacturing of ceramic laser gain materials, and the benefits of the application of ceramic technology to laser material are yet to be fully realized, ceramic Nd: YAG shows promise and could provide new options to the laser design engineer.",

author = "Mark Dubinskii and Merkle, {Larry D.} and Goff, {John R.} and Quarles, {Gregory J.} and Castillo, {Vida K.} and Schepler, {Kenneth L.} and David Zelmon and Shekhar Guha and Gonzalez, {Leonel P.} and Rickey, {Matthew R.} and Lee, {Julie J.} and Hegde, {S. M.} and Dumm, {John Q.} and Messing, {Gary L.} and Lee, {Sang Ho}",

year = "2005",

doi = "10.1117/12.602879",

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volume = "5792",

pages = "1--9",

journal = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",

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Dubinskii, M, Merkle, LD, Goff, JR, Quarles, GJ, Castillo, VK, Schepler, KL, Zelmon, D, Guha, S, Gonzalez, LP, Rickey, MR, Lee, JJ, Hegde, SM, Dumm, JQ, Messing, GL & Lee, SH 2005, 'Processing technology, laser, optical and thermal properties of ceramic laser gain materials', Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, vol. 5792, 01, pp. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.602879

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T1 - Processing technology, laser, optical and thermal properties of ceramic laser gain materials

AU - Dubinskii, Mark

AU - Merkle, Larry D.

AU - Goff, John R.

AU - Quarles, Gregory J.

AU - Castillo, Vida K.

AU - Schepler, Kenneth L.

AU - Zelmon, David

AU - Guha, Shekhar

AU - Gonzalez, Leonel P.

AU - Rickey, Matthew R.

AU - Lee, Julie J.

AU - Hegde, S. M.

AU - Dumm, John Q.

AU - Messing, Gary L.

AU - Lee, Sang Ho

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - Recently there has been increasing interest in high quality ceramic laser gain materials, particularly for high-energy lasers, due to the successful application of high-volume advanced ceramics consolidation techniques to transparent oxide gain materials. In this paper, a brief comparison of manufacturing techniques is presented, including an overview of the co-precipitation process and the solid-state reaction process. Merits and risks of each will be presented from a processing viewpoint. Ceramic Nd:YAG in particular shows promise for high power laser design. The program reported here is also compiling a definitive database to compare ceramic and single crystal Nd:YAG materials. Uniform doping levels of up to 9 at% Nd 3+ have been reported by Konoshima Chemical Co. in ceramic Nd:YAG, and studied by the US Army Research Laboratory and the US Air Force Research Laboratory. All ceramic Nd:YAG materials studied to date have exhibited similar, if not identical, spectroscopic parameters to those measured for single crystal samples. Thermal properties, laser damage thresholds and refractive indices for a range of temperatures and wavelengths are reported. Diode-pumped free running laser experiment results with highly concentrated (up to 8 at% Nd 3+) ceramics and their comparison with our modeling results are presented. High pulse repetition frequency actively (AO) Q-switched laser experiments are in progress. While there are still challenges in the manufacturing of ceramic laser gain materials, and the benefits of the application of ceramic technology to laser material are yet to be fully realized, ceramic Nd: YAG shows promise and could provide new options to the laser design engineer.

AB - Recently there has been increasing interest in high quality ceramic laser gain materials, particularly for high-energy lasers, due to the successful application of high-volume advanced ceramics consolidation techniques to transparent oxide gain materials. In this paper, a brief comparison of manufacturing techniques is presented, including an overview of the co-precipitation process and the solid-state reaction process. Merits and risks of each will be presented from a processing viewpoint. Ceramic Nd:YAG in particular shows promise for high power laser design. The program reported here is also compiling a definitive database to compare ceramic and single crystal Nd:YAG materials. Uniform doping levels of up to 9 at% Nd 3+ have been reported by Konoshima Chemical Co. in ceramic Nd:YAG, and studied by the US Army Research Laboratory and the US Air Force Research Laboratory. All ceramic Nd:YAG materials studied to date have exhibited similar, if not identical, spectroscopic parameters to those measured for single crystal samples. Thermal properties, laser damage thresholds and refractive indices for a range of temperatures and wavelengths are reported. Diode-pumped free running laser experiment results with highly concentrated (up to 8 at% Nd 3+) ceramics and their comparison with our modeling results are presented. High pulse repetition frequency actively (AO) Q-switched laser experiments are in progress. While there are still challenges in the manufacturing of ceramic laser gain materials, and the benefits of the application of ceramic technology to laser material are yet to be fully realized, ceramic Nd: YAG shows promise and could provide new options to the laser design engineer.

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Y2 - 28 March 2005 through 29 March 2005

ER -

Processing technology, laser, optical and thermal properties of ceramic laser gain materials

Abstract

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