Yb:YAG Laser

doi:10.1117/3.660249.ch10

Yb:YAG Laser

Book: The Physics and Engineering of Solid State Lasers

Author(s): Yehoshua Y. Kalisky

Published: 2006

https://doi.org/10.1117/3.660249.ch10

Author Affiliations +

Abstract

The ytterbium laser is currently regarded as a suitable candidate for generating pulses with relatively high peak power or as a source for high-power CW output, because of the long lifetime of the excited level F 5/2 2 of the Yb 3+ ion. This characteristic, coupled with the ability to obtain high Yb 3+ doping levels (up to 20 at. % without concentration quenching), makes the ytterbium-doped solid an ideal candidate for high-power industrial laser applications as well as a microlaser in the 1030-1050 nm spectral range. This laser emission is absorbed by saturable absorbers such as Cr 4+ :YAG and other quadrivalent chromium-doped garnets, yielding repetitive modulation and high peak power.