Yb:YAG Crystal

Yb:YAG is one of the most promising laser-active materials and more suitable for diode-pumping than the traditional Nd-doped systems. Compared with the  commonly used Nd:YAG crsytal , Yb:YAG crystal has a much larger absorption bandwidth to reduce thermal management requirements for diode lasers, a longer upper-laser level lifetime, three to four times lower thermal loading per unit pump power. Yb:YAG crystal is expected to replace Nd:YAG crystal for high power diode-pumped lasers and other potential applications. 

In the specific case of the host material YAG, Yb3+ has a storage lifetime of 950 µs and a quantum defect of only 8.6%. Yb3+:YAG also has a broad pump line at 940 nm that is 10 times broader than the 808 nm pump line in Nd3+YAG making the system less sensitive to thermal drift of the pump diodes wavelength. These material properties combined with the development of robust long-lifetime InGaAs pump diodes at 940 nm have made this material a superior candidate for diode-pumped high-energy lasers.

Crystals of Yb3+ doped YAG are available in a variety of dopant concentrations from 1% - 100% (e.g. Ytterbium aluminum garnet - YbAG).

Advantages:

1. High optical quality
2. Very high slope efficiency
3. Very low fractional heating, less than11%
4. No excited-state absorption or up-conversion
5. Broad absorption bands, about 8nm@940nm
6. High thermal conductivity and large mechanical strength
7. Conveniently pumped by reliable InGaAs diodes at 940nm(or 970nm)

Specifications

Main Properties of Yb:YAG crystal:

Standard Products