Open AccessLight scattering by pores in transparent Nd:YAG ceramics for lasers: correlations between microstructure and optical properties
Author(s) -
Rémy Boulesteix,
Alexandre Maı̂tre,
JeanFrançois Baumard,
Y. Rabinovitch,
François Reynaud
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.18.014992
Subject(s) - materials science , transparent ceramics , ceramic , porosity , laser , microstructure , optics , light scattering , slope efficiency , volume fraction , mie scattering , sintering , composite material , scattering , mineralogy , wavelength , optoelectronics , fiber laser , chemistry , physics
Nd:YAG ceramics for laser applications were elaborated with various residual porosities by reaction-sintering process. The porosity analysis with CLSM and SEM led to the determination of the pore volume fraction after sintering. This study revealed that the mean pore size of Nd:YAG ceramics was around 0.7 microm while the residual porosity was ranging between 10(-1)% and 10(-4)%. These pore contents affect the transparency and laser efficiency of ceramics. The analytical model based on the Mie light scattering fairly fits the experimental data. This demonstrates that the porosity in Nd:YAG ceramics should be lower than 10(-4)% to reach single-crystal laser efficiency.