Low-cost Engineering of Laser Rods and Slabs with Liquid Phase Epitaxy
Abstract
We investigated the use of a liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) coating to improve the performance of a rod or slab laser. A single crystal erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Er:YAG) rod coated with undoped YAG, and an uncoated sample were procured, then compared on the basis of threshold and slope efficiency measurements. The goal of the testing was to determine the minimum epitaxial thickness necessary to suppress the whispering gallery modes, which otherwise would deplete the gain in tilde 50% of the rod volume. We also investigated LPE growth on a ceramic sample, because state-of-the-art high power slab lasers are now ceramic. As expected, the sample turned out to be of poor optical quality; no lasing or even transmission measurements could be made.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA552937
Entities
People
- Carl E. Mungan
- Jeffrey O. White
Organizations
- United States Army Research Laboratory