Yb^3+:YAG crystal growth with controlled doping distribution

Current work is dedicated to theoretical and experimental studies on YAG single crystals performance with non-homogeneous activator ion distribution. Improved lasing characteristics are described and quantified theoretically. The first crystals with such a distribution have been obtained as a result of several growth attempts using Horizontal Direct Crystallization method (Bagdassarov’s method). Extracted from the as-grown boules, samples have been optically treated and studied further. The preparatory phase, growth process and equipment as well as post-growth studies of the extracted samples are equally presented in this paper. Energy-dispersive X-ray analyses were used to quantify the doping distribution values in the grown crystals. Optical transmission experiments were performed to verify the optical characteristics of the as-grown crystals.