Effect of Yb concentration on the microstructures, spectra, and laser performance of Yb: CaF <sub>2</sub> transparent ceramics
Weiwei Li, Haijun Huang, Bingchu Mei, Cong Wang, Jie Liu, Shaozhao Wang, Dapeng Jiang, Liangbi Su
Abstract
Abstract Ytterbium‐doped calcium fluoride transparent ceramics is considered as a promising laser gain medium. How to prepare low scattering loss ceramics is the main challenge at present. In this study, a simple route of hot‐pressing method was introduced to fabricate high optical quality of Yb: CaF 2 laser ceramics with different concentration of Yb ions. The influence of Yb concentration on the particle sizes of the powders, microstructure, fluorescence spectra, output power, and laser emitting spectra of Yb: CaF 2 transparent ceramics was discussed. About 976 nm LD pumped CW laser operation has been demonstrated in 1, 2, 4, and 5 at.% Yb doped CaF 2 ceramics. A maximum average output power of 0.809 W was obtained for the 5 at.% Yb: CaF 2 ceramics with the slope efficiency was 26%.