Abstract

We have compared the spectra parameters of several laser materials such as Nd-glass, Nd:LuAG, Nd:YAG, Yb:YAG, Yb:S-FAP, Ti:Sapphire and evaluate the application prospect for use in Laser Inertial Fusion Energy (LIFE) power plants. Nd doped Lutetium aluminum garnet (LuAG) has obvious advantages, such as high thermal conductivity (9.6W/m·K), and moderate emission cross sections (~9×10−20cm2). In order to optimize the narrow absorption spectra of Nd:LuAG ceramics Cr ions were co-doped as sensitizer. Cr,Nd:LuAG laser ceramics were prepared by solid-state reactive sintering, using vacuum sintering with additional HIP treatment. The absorption spectra of Cr,Nd:LuAG laser ceramics at different annealing atmospheres such as O2, N2 H2 and air were investigated. Furthermore, we can control the valence of chromium to solve ASE effect problem.

© 2015 Optical Society of America