Abstract

In the field of solid state lasers, thermal management has always been an important issue. Numerous works have been carried out to reduce the thermal load or to find crystals with very good thermal properties. A new low-cost method to bond optical materials based on sol-gel technique has been developed. Laser actions have been generated by new hetero-composite laser materials elaborated from chemically and mechanically different materials [1]. Two composite systems have been studied: Er/Yb glass||sapphire and Nd:YVO₄||sapphire. Composite crystals are bonded by a silicate interlayer realized by sol-gel process [2]. Thickness of the interlayer has been estimated to be around 150 nanometers with a refractive index of 1.4. In the case of Er/Yb glass||sapphire composite, laser action has been achieved and low optical losses due to the interlayer have been measured. Output power is increased by 40% and the maximum pumping power is two times higher.

© 2009 IEEE