New Ceramic Laser Hosts for High Power Lasers

This program seeks to develop ytterbium doped rare earth sesquioxides including yttria, scandia, lutetia, and gadolinia-based oxides as laser gain media for use in high power thin disk lasers.  The increased thermal conductivity, increased absorption cross section at pump wavelengths, small quantum defect in Yb lasing systems, and high performance demonstrated in such media are attractive.  Processing via liquid precursor flame spray pyrolysis will be used to produce highly sinterable nanopowders for subsequent consolidation, sintering, and HIPping to form transparent materials for optical transmission, thermal conductivity, and lasing test measurements. BENEFIT: The materials developed in this program will have direct application to high power laser systems utilizing thin disk architectures.  The high power output and high beam quality  of such lasers has already been demonstrated by companies including Boeing and Trumpf.  The new materials will allow lower heat losses, more efficient heat removal, and more efficient pump power absorption than that currently possible using YAG based gain media.  In addition to high power laser defense systems, lasers based on these materials will find application in industrial cutting and welding applications as well.