Fabrication of YAG/Cr:YAG transparent composite ceramics and characterization by light sheet fluorescence imaging

Transparent composite ceramics based on YAG/Cr:YAG bilayer samples were manufactured by the solid-state reaction route and sequential slip-casting technique. They were characterized by light sheet fluorescence imaging (LSFI). This work shows that LSFI allows determining the spatial distribution of chromium with different valence states (Cr4+ and Cr3+) with a resolution close to 15 μm and high sensitivity in regards to the concentration. LSFI thus appears well adapted to the characterization of transparent ceramic materials with luminescent dopant gradient used as solid-state lasers optical components.