Single crystal YAG doped with a rare earth element has been commercially available for six decades. Polycrystalline YAG of high quality, suitable for use as laser gain media or optical windows has been available since 2004, and only from a single vendor. II-VI Incorporated seeks to be the premier supplier of high quality polycrystalline Yttrium Aluminum Garnet for laser gain media and infrared windows here in the United States. We present recent optical property characterization of polycrystalline (ceramic) YAG synthesized by II-VI. Optical transmission (1064 nm) data, FTIR and UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy, and photothermal common-path interferometer (PCI) absorption data are presented. Mechanisms for absorption and scatter produced by residual pores and impurities are discussed. Ceramic YAG properties are compared with single crystal (boule grown) YAG.

Date Published: 13 May 2019
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 10985, Window and Dome Technologies and Materials XVI, 1098503 (13 May 2019); doi: 10.1117/12.2519099

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 10985:
Window and Dome Technologies and Materials XVI
W. Howard Poisl, Editor(s)