Transmittance derived line width and line shift in polycrystalline Nd:YAG.

Abstract

Temperature dependent transmittance derived line width and line shift measurements are conducted on polycrystalline 1% and 6% Nd doped YAG in the 293 K-473 K range. A single crystal temperature dependent line width model is adapted for polycrystalline YAG. Comparison between line width measurement techniques was conducted, and the transmittance method is preferred for ground state line width measurements. Polycrystalline YAG material is found to have broader intrinsic line width than single crystal material. Polycrystalline YAG material should provide mode locking advantages of shorter minimum pulse length than single crystal YAG.