In cooperation with the Key Laboratory of Transparent and Opto-Functional Inorganic Materials in Shanghai the first Yb:Sc2SiO5 (Yb:SSO) thin-disk laser was demonstrated recently at the IFSW [1]. The laser crystal with a thickness of only 150 μm was pumped with a broadband diode-laser centered at a wavelength of 976 nm. In fundamental-mode operation an optical efficiency of 25.4% was measured at an output power of 9.4 W. These first experiments confirmed the excellent thermo-mechanical properties of Yb:SSO and the high potential of this material also for fundamental mode operation. The current efforts to improve the crystal growth will soon lead to further increased efficiencies and allow higher output powers. Due to its spectral emission bandwith the Yb:SSO ist particularly suitable for the generation of ultra-short pulses.
- K.S. Wentsch, B. Weichelt, L. Zheng, J. Xu, M. Abdou Ahmed, Th. Graf, “Continuous-wave Yb doped Sc2SiO5 thin-disk laser,” Opt. Letters 1, 37-39 (2012).
Contact person: Dr. Marwan Abdou Ahmed
