Planar and rectangular ceramic Yb:YAG laser waveguides

Planar polycrystalline laser waveguides with the structure YAG/Yb:YAG/YAG were produced by ceramic processing. Transparent ceramics represent a valid alternative to single crystals as the flexibility of the ceramic process paves the way to new application opportunities. The implementation of different ceramic shaping techniques allows the production of complex or multicomponent (composite) structures that are generally difficult or about impossible to obtain with single crystals. A practical example are the planar structures presented here, characterized by a strict control of the dopant distribution obtained already during the shaping process, without further machining or bonding. The waveguides are composed of a laser active Yb:YAG layer obtained by tape casting with a thickness between 100 and 250 mu m placed between dopant-free YAG cladding obtained by oxide powder mixing. The refractive index of Yb:YAG is higher than YAG thus realizing a multimode waveguide. Two types of geometries were tested: 1. simple planar waveguide with a sandwich structure (confinement in one direction); 2. waveguide with a rectangular cross section (confinement in two directions). The waveguides were tested for laser emission in a cavity end pumped by a fiber coupled diode laser, under quasi-CW pumping conditions (rectangular pump pulses with 10 ms duration, 10 Hz), delivering up to 60W at 936 nm. The planar waveguide has shown a maximum output power of 14.4 W (slope efficiency 39.1%, optical efficiency 27.4%) whereas the 2D waveguide had a maximum output power of 11.6 W (slope efficiency 38.4%, optical efficiency 22.4%). Lasing wavelength was 1030 nm.