Material General Description of Nd:YAG Crystal
Neodymium Doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG) is one of the earliest and most widely used laser host crystals. It combines outstanding optical, thermal, and mechanical properties, making it a ubiquitous choice for near-infrared solid-state laser systems. Its cubic crystal structure ensures isotropic optical behavior, eliminating the need for polarization correction in most applications.
Nd:YAG exhibits high thermal conductivity, excellent optical homogeneity, and low laser-induced damage thresholds, making it ideal for both high-power and low-power laser operations. With an emission wavelength of 1064 nm and a strong absorption band at 808 nm, Nd:YAG efficiently converts pump energy into laser output with minimal losses.
Due to its reliability, Nd:YAG is used in diverse fields such as industrial machining, medical treatments, scientific research, and military applications. The crystal is available in a variety of dopant concentrations, dimensions, and coatings to meet specific operational requirements.
General Applications and Examples of Nd:YAG Crystal
Nd:YAG crystals are essential in numerous industries due to their versatility and high performance. Below are some key applications:
Property | Value |
Chemical Formula | Nd:Y3Al5O12 |
Crystal Structure | Cubic |
Lattice Constant | 12.01 Å |
Density | 4.56 g/cm³ |
Melting Point | 1970 °C |
Mohs Hardness | 8.5 (High mechanical strength) |
Thermal Conductivity | 14 W/m·K at 20 °C; 10.5 W/m·K at 100 °C |
Thermal Expansion Coefficient | 7.8 × 10⁻⁶ /K ( <111> ) |
Refractive Index | 1.82 at 1064 nm |
Stimulated Emission Cross-Section | 2.8 × 10⁻¹⁹ cm² at 1064 nm |
Property | Value |
Lasing Wavelength | 1064 nm |
Pump Wavelength | 807.5 nm |
Relaxation Time of Terminal Lasing Level | 30 ns |
Fluorescent Lifetime | 550 µs |
Loss Coefficient | 0.003 cm⁻¹ at 1064 nm |
Linewidth | 0.6 nm |
Polarized Emission | Unpolarized |
Thermal Birefringence | High |
Specification | Value |
Dimension Tolerance | ±0.1 mm (standard); ±0.01 mm (high precision) |
Clear Aperture | Central 90% of the diameter |
Surface Quality | 10-5 Scratch-Dig |
Surface Flatness | λ/8 at 633 nm |
Parallelism | <20 arc seconds |
Perpendicularity | <5 arc minutes |
Chamfer | 0.2 mm at 45° |
Damage Threshold | >500 MW/cm² at 1064 nm (10 ns, 10 Hz) |
Nd:YAG crystals have a high transmission efficiency at 1064 nm and a strong absorption peak at 807.5 nm, ideal for diode pumping. Spectrum transmission curves show excellent transparency across visible and near-infrared wavelengths, ensuring minimal loss during operation.
(Graphical data available upon request.)
Coating Type | Specifications |
HR Coating | R > 99.8% at 1064 nm, R < 0.5% at 808 nm |
AR Coating | R < 0.2% at 1064 nm, R < 0.5% at 808 nm |
Custom Coatings | Available upon request |
Adhesion Test Compliant with MIL-C-675C military standards, an adhesion test involved applying a tape that meets LT-90 specifications onto the lens film layer. The tape was affixed fully and then removed vertically. This procedure was performed three times, resulting in no blistering or peeling.
Temperature Test In line with MIL-C-675C specifications, test pieces were subjected to temperatures of -62±1℃ and 71±1℃. After maintaining them at room temperature (16℃~32℃) for two hours, the adhesion test was repeated, confirming no film detachment.
Abrasion Resistance Test Conforming to MIL-C-675C and CCC-C-440 standards, the abrasion resistance test involved a gauze tester applying a minimum force of 1.0 lbs (0.45 kg) to the film. This was repeated 25 times with gauze widths of 1/4 inch (6.4mm) and 3/8 inch (9.5mm), ensuring no damage occurred to the film surface.
Humidity Test Under MIL-C-675C criteria, the test piece was placed in a controlled temperature and humidity chamber set to 49 ±2℃ and 95%~100% humidity for 24 hours. The film remained intact, with no peeling, scratches, or other defects.
Solvent and Cleaning Testing Following MIL-C-675C specifications, test pieces were exposed to room temperature conditions (16℃~32℃) and tested with acetone and alcohol for at least 10 minutes each. After air drying and subsequent cleaning with a cotton cloth soaked in alcohol, the film surface showed no signs of peeling or scratches.
Salt Spray Test After 100 hours in a 35°C environment with a 5% saltwater concentration, the film showed no signs of damage.
Photonics On Crystals (POC) is a trusted supplier of high-quality Nd:YAG crystals. Our capabilities include:
Product Code | Dimensions (mm) | Doping Level (Nd) | Coating | Price (USD) |
NDYAG-01 | 3 × 3 × 0.5 | 1.0% | AR @ 808 nm / 1064 nm | Request Quote |
NDYAG-02 | 6 × 6 × 1 | 0.6% | Customizable | Request Quote |
NDYAG-03 | 10 × 10 × 2 | 1.1% | Customizable | Request Quote |
Custom-NDYAG | Customizable | Customizable | Customizable | Request Quote |
