Ceramic Lasers

460 Pages·2013·21.572 MB·English

by  Akio Ikesue, Yan Lin Aung, Voicu Lupei

more information - www.cambridge.org/9780521114080

CERAMIC LASERS
Untilrecently,ceramicmaterialswereconsideredunsuitableforopticsduetothenumerous
scatteringsources,suchasgrainboundariesandresidualpores.However,inthe1990sthe
technologytogenerateacoherentbeamfromceramicmaterialswasdeveloped,andhighly
efficient laser oscillation was realized. In the future, the technology derived from the
development of the ceramic laser could be used to develop new functional passive and
activeoptics.
Co-authoredbyoneofthepioneersofthisfield,thebookdescribesthefabricationtech-
nology and theoretical characterization of ceramic material properties. It describes novel
typesofsolidlasersandotheropticsusingceramicmaterialstodemonstratetheapplication
of ceramic gain media in the generation of coherent beams and light amplification. This
is an invaluable guide for physicists, materials scientists and engineers working on laser
ceramics.
akio ikesue isthePresidentofWorld-Lab.Co.,Ltd.Heisalsoanexecutivescientistat
SCHOTTAG,Germany,andaninvitedprofessoratENSCP(EcoleNationaleSupe´rieure
deChimiedeParis).
yan lin aung is a Senior Researcher at World-Lab. Co., Ltd. His research focuses on
opto-ceramics.
voicu lupei is a Professor at the National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation
PhysicsinBucharest,Romania.Hisresearchinterestsareinphotonicmaterials,quantum
electronicsprocessesindopedlasermaterials,andapplicationsofsolid-statelasers.

CERAMIC LASERS
AKIO IKESUE
World-Lab.Co.,Ltd,Japan
YAN LIN AUNG
World-Lab.Co.,Ltd,Japan
VOICU LUPEI
NationalInstituteforLaser,PlasmaandRadiationPhysics,
Romania
cambridge university press
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CambridgeUniversityPress
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PublishedintheUnitedStatesofAmericabyCambridgeUniversityPress,NewYork
www.cambridge.org
Informationonthistitle:www.cambridge.org/9780521114080
(cid:2)c A.Ikesue,Y.L.Aung,V.Lupei2013
Thispublicationisincopyright.Subjecttostatutoryexception
andtotheprovisionsofrelevantcollectivelicensingagreements,
noreproductionofanypartmaytakeplacewithoutthewritten
permissionofCambridgeUniversityPress.
Firstpublished2013
PrintedandboundintheUnitedKingdombytheMPGBooksGroup
AcatalogrecordforthispublicationisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary
LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublicationdata
Ikesue,Akio,1958–
Ceramiclasermaterials/authors,AkioIkesue,YanLinAung,VoicuLupei.
pages cm
Includesindex.
ISBN978-0-521-11408-0(hardback)
1.Lasermaterials. 2.Ceramicmaterials. I.Title.
TA1677.I44 2013
621.36(cid:3)6–dc23 2012042974
ISBN978-0-521-11408-0Hardback
CambridgeUniversityPresshasnoresponsibilityforthepersistenceor
accuracyofURLsforexternalorthird-partyinternetwebsitesreferredto
inthispublication,anddoesnotguaranteethatanycontentonsuch
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Contents
Preface pageix
Acknowledgement xii
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Researchbackground 1
1.2 Technicalproblemsofmelt-growthsinglecrystals 2
1.3 Technicalproblemsofceramics 7
1.4 Purposeofthisresearch 11
1.5 Outlineofthebook 12
References 16
2 Solid-statelaserprocessesandactivematerials 18
2.1 Interactionofquantumsystemswithelectromagneticradiation
(radiationabsorptionandemissionprocessesinquantumsystems) 18
2.2 Solid-statelasers 25
2.3 Theflowofexcitationinsidethelasermaterial 63
2.4 Laseremissionprocesses 67
2.5 Thespatialdistributionofthede-excitationprocesses 82
2.6 Thermalfieldinsidethepumpedlasermaterialandthermaleffects 85
2.7 Performancescalingofsolid-statelasers 91
2.8 Thelasermaterial 93
References 115
3 Experimentaltechnique:powdercharacteristicsandthesynthesisofoptical
gradeceramics,effectsofsinteringaids 121
3.1 Introduction 121
3.2 MicrostructureandopticalcharacteristicsofNd:YAGprocessedbyHIP
(hotisostaticpressing) 142
References 158
4 Synthesisofpolycrystallineceramiclasers(RE-dopedsesquioxides) 160
4.1 Currentstatusofsinglecrystaltechnology 160
4.2 Requirementsforsesquioxideceramiclasers 162
v
vi Contents
4.3 Synthesisofopticalgradesesquioxideceramics 169
4.4 Opticalqualityandlaserperformance 176
References 185
5 SynthesisofRE(Nd)heavilydopedYAGceramics 187
5.1 ProductionofheavilydopedNd:YAGandlasingcharacteristics 188
5.2 Effectofimpurity(Si)onNdsolid-meltinYAGceramics 204
References 218
6 Opticalscatteringcentersinpolycrystallineceramics 219
6.1 Introduction 219
6.2 Experimentalprocedure 220
6.3 Results 223
6.4 Discussion 234
6.5 Summary 239
References 240
7 Advancedtechnologiesinceramics(composite,fiber,singlecrystalby
sinteringmethod,etc.) 241
7.1 Compositetechnology 243
7.2 Ceramicfiberlaser 252
7.3 Singlecrystalceramicsproducedbysintering 255
7.4 Summary 265
References 265
8 CurrentR&Dstatusofceramiclasersworldwide 267
8.1 Garnetsystemmaterials 268
8.2 Perovskitesystemmaterials 273
8.3 Non-oxidesystem(II–VIcompound)materials 275
8.4 Fluoridesystemmaterials 277
8.5 Applicationsinthefieldsofbiotechnologyandmedicaltechnology 279
8.6 Highintensitylasersforengineignition 282
8.7 Investigationofsolid-statelasersassolarpumplasers 285
References 288
9 Thefutureofceramictechnology 290
References 298
10 Highresolutionopticalspectroscopyandemissiondecayoflaserceramics 300
10.1 Structuralcharacterizationofdopedceramicsbyopticalspectroscopy 301
10.2 Thequantumstatesofthedopingions 321
10.3 Radiativeandnon-radiativede-excitationprocesses 345
10.4 Distributionofthedopingionsinceramics 358
10.5 Conversionofexcitationindopedceramics 360
10.6 Conclusionsfromhighresolutionopticalspectroscopyoflaserceramics 370
References 372
Contents vii
11 Ceramiclasers 386
11.1 Pumpingschemes 386
11.2 Radiativeandnon-radiativeprocessesinceramics 392
11.3 Ceramiclasermaterialsandcomponents 401
11.4 Ceramiclasers 403
11.5 Concludingremarks:thestateoftheartanddirectionsofdevelopment
ofceramiclasers 424
References 427
Index 442