Yb:YAG

Ytterbium-doped YAG (Yb:YAG) is an active laser medium lasing at 1030 nm, with a broad, 18 nm wide absorption band at 940 nm. It is one of the most useful media for high-power diode-pumped solid state lasers. The dopant levels used range between 0.2-30% of replaced yttrium atoms. Yb:YAG has very low fractional heating, very high slope efficiency, and no excited-state absorption or up-conversion, high mechanical strength and high thermal conductivity. Yb:YAG can be pumped by reliable InGaAs laser diodes at 940 or 970 nm.

Yb:YAG is a good substitute for 1064 nm Nd:YAG in high-power applications, and its frequency-doubled 515 nm version can replace the 514 nm argon lasers.

Physical and Optical Properties

Chemical Formula: Yb:Y3 Al 5 O12
Crystal Structure: Cubic
Lattice Constants: 12.01
Melting Point: 1970 deg. C
Density: 4.56 g/cm^3
Mohs Hardness: 8.5
Thermal Expansion Coefficient: 7.8x10 -6 /K , [111], 0-250 deg C
Thermal Conductivity: 14 W.s /m /K @ 20 deg. C
Loss Coefficient: 0.003 cm -1
Index of Refraction: 1.82
Lasing Wavelength: 1030 nm
Pump Wavelength: 940 nm
Absorption band about pump waveleng: 10 nm

General Specifications

1) Yb-dopant concentration: 0.2%---30% at% (Tolerance 10% of concentration)
2) Diameter: 2 to 20 mm (+0.0/ -0.025mm)
3) Length: 1 to 70mm, (+/-0.2mm)

Typical Specification and Tolerance:
1) Parallelism: < 10 arc seconds
2) Perpendicularity: < 5 arc minutes
3) Chamfer: 0.15x45deg.
4) Barrel finish: ground or polished
5) Wavefront Distortion: <Λ/10 at 632.8nm
6) Surface Flatness: <Λ/10 at 632.8nm
7) Surface quality: better than 20/10 per MIL-O-13830A
8) Clear aperture: Central 95%
9) Coating :
a) HR @ 940nm and AR @1030nm
b) AR@ 940nm and HR @1030nm

Optocity produces a wide range of finished Yb:YAG rods and slabs for various application.