Spectroscopic Properties and Continuous Wave Laser Performances at 1064 nm of Nd3+: LuAG Transparent Ceramic

A transparent 2 at% Nd
³⁺
-doped Lu
₃
Al
₅
O
₁₂
(LuAG) ceramic was fabricated by using tape-casting method and solid-state sintering technology. Based on the room temperature absorption spectrum, the three J-O intensity parameters were calculated with Judd-Ofelt analysis, and then, the radiative transition rates and branching ratios of transitions from
⁴
F
_3/2
manifold to the 4I
_J'
(J' = 13/2, 11/2, 9/2) lower lying multiple manifolds were determined. The quantum efficiency of 80.4% was evaluated from the measured fluorescence lifetime and the radiative lifetime of the
⁴
F
_3/2
manifold state. Also, the inter-Stark energy levels of the 4I.
_J'
manifolds were performed, and the peak emission cross sections of the
⁴
F
_3/2
→ 4I
_J'
intermanifold transitions were determined. The total emission cross section for
⁴
F
_3/2
→
⁴
I
_9/2
,
⁴
I
^11/2
, and
⁴
I
_13/2
transitions was calculated to be 7.41 × 10
^-20
cm
²
, 29.83 × 10
^-20
cm
²
, and 10.53 × 10
^-20
cm
²
, respectively. Finally, under an 808 nm diode laser pumping, the continuous wave laser performances of the Nd:LuAG transparent ceramic were investigated.