Abstract
Nd-heavily-doped-YAG ceramic with high transparency was fabricated by a simple solid-state reaction method using high purity powders of Al2O3, Y2O3, and Nd2O3. The optical absorption coefficient of 4.8 at% Nd: YAG ceramic (at wavelength of 808nm) was 16.5cm-1, which was remarkably higher than that of 1.0 at% Nd: YAG single crystal by the Czochralski method. Laser output power of the polycrystalline 4.8 at% Nd: YAG ceramics was about 4 times higher as compared with that of high-quality commercial 1.0 at% Nd: YAG single crystal.
