Ho:YAG transparent ceramics based on nanopowders produced by laser ablation method: Fabrication, optical properties, and laser performance

• Ho:YAG optical ceramics based on nanopowders produced by laser ablation was obtained.
• Distribution of scattering centers was evaluated by collinear heterodyne technique.
• Laser characteristics of ceramics were investigated using intracavity pumping scheme.
• The slope efficiency was ∼40% relative to absorbed pumping power at 1.85 μm.

We fabricate Ho:YAG transparent ceramics based on nanopowders produced by laser ablation method via two approaches. Higher transmittance (82% in the infrared region) is achieved in ceramics prepared with an additional round of pre-calcining before sintering. We evaluate the average volume of the scattering centers in the ceramics and their distribution along the sample depth by the direct count method using an optical microscope and by the novel method of collinear two-photon interband photoexcitation, respectively. The laser characteristics of the 1% Ho:YAG ceramics are investigated using an intracavity pumping scheme. The slope efficiency is ∼40% relative to the absorbed pumping power at 1.85 μm.